Itazura na Kiss: Love in Tokyo 3 - Hello Baby!
by RosieWellington
Summary: After Kotoko's sudden collapse at the hospital, our beloved couple discovers that they are expecting a baby; And this time, it's real. - Itazura na Kiss: Love in Tokyo 2 wrapped things up quite adorably, but Kotoko's pregnancy was brushed over. I've taken it upon myself to fill in the gap left behind: with doting Naoki, adorable moments and unexpected obstacles. Enjoy! :)
1. Chapter 1

***AUTHORS NOTE: Hello, everyone! This is my first fanfiction, but I've been planning to write this for a long time. This fanfiction will basically be the "third season" of Itazura na Kiss 2: Love in Tokyo (with Honoka Miki and Yuki Furukawa), so aspects and events of the story will be based off of the drama adaption. ***Because this will be the story of Kotoko's pregnancy, (which was entirely forgotten in the second season until the last episode. The final scene was adorable, but simply not satisfying enough!) I have rated it T for now. However, be aware that it may be changed to M in the future. ***SPOILER ALERT: The beginning of this story will start from the end of Episode 16, so watch it before reading if you haven't already! Comments & reviews welcome! Enjoy! :) (I will be updating this regularly)

* * *

KOTOKO'S POV

"The protective instinct of a mother is so powerful!" I exclaimed. Just thinking about Takashi's mother, and how she'd carried him all the way here... I couldn't help but smile until my cheeks hurt. Suddenly, I remembered the mother and her son who'd had an asthma attack during my date with Irie-kun, and how brave she'd been, too, despite the cute little boy not even being able to speak. My heart felt like it was going to burst.

 _'How amazing the love of a mother for her child is!'_ I smiled even more at the thought and let my head hang lazily to the side.

"It sure is," Irie-kun agreed. Even he couldn't deny the strong love between mother and child! I sighed in amazement.

Suddenly, I flinched a bit at the sound of someone running down the hall. I whipped to my left to see Nurse Yume rounding the corner.

"Irie-sensei!"

 _'Ah, there goes my peaceful moment with Irie-kun... but now is not the time to be discouraged!'_ Quickly, I jumped to my feet and smoothed my skirt. I could hear Irie-kun stand up behind me.

"I'm sorry." Nurse Yume winced apologetically. "We have another patient..."

I could feel my jaw drop open. _'Another patient! How can this be possible... is all of Tokyo sick?!'_

"Taku..." Irie-kun sighed under his breath. "What a crazy night." Speechless, I nodded in agreement with my jaw still unhinged. Irie-kun turned to me, his deep brown eyes staring into mine. "Kotoko, go home," he said gently, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Another nurse is coming."

"Heh?" I squeaked. _'No! This isn't... no! I can keep working! Sure, my back hurts a little, and my feet DO ache, but... but I want to stay with Irie-kun!'_

"Yes, Kotoko-san. Miss Yamamura is coming soon." Nurse Yume smiled at me.

I had to convince them, and quickly. "No, I can still work," I waved my hands frantically and dismissed them in the most reassuring voice I could muster. "Irie-kun is still working, so can I..."

As I looked up at Irie-kun, a wave of blood rushed to my head. It felt like I had stood up too quickly after sitting for too long... I felt light... like a balloon. I felt as if I would just float away, into nothingness. My legs went numb with pins and needles and Irie-kun's face swayed from side to side as my knees started to give out. His eyes kept blurring in and out of my vision, mixing with the wall. I wiggled my fingers. I couldn't feel them, either!

 _'What...?'_ My heart was pounding against my chest. I had a horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach. _'This is weird... I can't stand...'_ Everything was fading... the colors and lights...were mixing with one another in a haze... and... fading...

I didn't feel my legs buckle. All the fuzz and colors whirled by me and before I knew it, the slap of my body against the hospital floor echoed against the wall. I felt scared... but at the same time, I felt nothing... it was all... fading...

Above me, I could hardly make out Irie-kun's face, with Nurse Yume crouching behind him. His eyes were wide... scared... was I imagining it...? I wanted to cry out, but I couldn't...

"Kotoko!" Irie-kun's voice rang in my ears.

"Kotoko-san?!" Nurse Yume cried out.

"Kotoko!" Irie-kun called again. Even the sound of his voice... was fading...

 _'Help me, Irie-kun...'_

Everything was melting together... the red of both of their lanyards... the white of their uniforms... the brown of Irie-kun's eyes... fading...

"...Irie... kun...?" I breathed out.

Red... white... red... brown...

Black.

* * *

NAOKI'S POV

"Kotoko!" I shouted, shaking her shoulders just a little too hard. Her eyes were slightly open, but her head shook limply. My heart was pounding against my ribcage, and my hands were tingling with fear. But I had to remain calm... just calm down...

"Kotoko!" I called out to her again, but her eyelids were fluttering. I desperately prayed it was just a dizzy spell... that her eyes would pop open and she'd groan and pout like the fool she was. But I knew better than that. My eyes frantically searched her face for signs of injury from the fall. Her usually bright brown eyes, now dull, kept disappearing and flashing at me from under her drooping eyelashes, opening and closing. It was like a cruel tease, and it pulled at my pounding heart.

"Irie...kun...?" she croaked out. Her brittle voice, so annoying most times, yet it managed to paralyze me with her fear, confusion, and pain just by uttering my name. My head was pounding... my heart beginning to race faster as soon as her eyelids softly fell shut. Her skin was so pale... her tiny hands fell limp in the finality of her loss of consciousness.

Before I could think of what to do, I shoved my hands under the small of her back and scooped her up, roughly pulling into my arms as I quickly stood to my feet.

"Nurse Yume, find another doctor to attend to the patient. Funatsu-san should be on night duty," I ordered. My nerves were shot by Kotoko's crumpled form, hopelessly limp in my arms.

"B-but... Irie-sensei..." she hesitated.

"Please," I stared at Kotoko's nervous colleague, hoping she'd see the plea in my eyes. I had to do something as soon as possible, but I knew she'd realize that hesitation could be fatal.

"H-... Hai..." Nurse Yume responded. "I'll find your medical adviser and tell him you've gone off duty for tonight."

"Arigato gozaimasu," I said quickly, and bowed my head. Nurse Yume's concerned stare flicked from Kotoko to me, then to the floor. She bowed, turned, and jogged through the corridor.

As fast as I could, I ran down the hallway in the opposite direction to my office, thanking God it was just a few doors away. It was the only one unlocked besides Office B-9, where I'd just removed glass from the young boy, Takashi's, injury. But it was the first thing that came to mind in my desperate slurry of thoughts.

 _'How can someone so full of energy just collapse on a whim?'_

I grasped for an answer as Kotoko's limp hand slapped against my thigh. ' _She's fainted before...but never without reason like this...'_ The fact that a medical answer wasn't coming to me immediately scared me almost more than her unconsciousness. As I stopped at my office I shifted Kotoko's tiny frame into my left arm and ripped the sliding door open. Gently but as quickly as possible, I laid her onto the medical bench in the back left corner. I took her pale, cold wrist into my hand and pressed to the left of her bone.

She had a pulse. That much was clear. The reassuring nudge of a heartbeat against my fingers was as strong as her determination. I felt a punch of relief in my stomach, thankful at least for the indication that Kotoko was alive. Now, I needed to know if she was well enough to stay that way.

As I timed her blood pressure with my watch and then felt her forehead for a fever, the tsunami of thoughts in my head died down, buried by my concentration. Whenever I was doing my job, everything became clear for me. I was thankful for the clarity it provided. My heartbeat calmed down as well.

 _'Finally, thank God. I need to be efficient as possible'_

For her sake.

I stared at her chest, and concentrated on how her white nurse's uniform tightened and crinkled against her breathing chest. Up, down, up, down.

 _'No erratic breathing.'_

My gaze flicked to Kotoko's face. Her skin was so pale, yet there was still a hint of rosiness in her cheeks. I felt a pang in my heart as I watched her delicately rounded nostrils flare and relax with her breathing that echoed throughout the room. It was so loud that it bordered on being a snore. The corner of my mouth turned up.

"Taku," I sighed out loud. I reached over and grabbed the chair from my desk to sit by her side. It was a miracle I was still standing, that my legs hadn't given out like hers had.

"Even when you're unconscious, you're still so loud..." I said to her. She remained still, her full lips slightly parted and her big innocent eyes shut. Her long lashes dipped down onto her cheeks. Despite the fact that she nearly looked like a corpse, I felt immense relief in my chest. To see her like this... so relaxed, even after the fear and confusion she must have felt just a little while ago... I was truly grateful.

I brought my chair forward a little bit and placed my hand at the top of her head. I ran my hand down along the side of her face, resting my thumb on her soft cheek and cupping her ear.

"You fool," I said, searching her soft expression. "You're always going and worrying me..."

I swear I could see her eyebrows twitch inward, just the slightest of movements. I tried stroking her hair to evoke another response, but she remained dead to me and my teasing.

"...I guess it's a good thing that I love you.' I continued, my voice nearly at a whisper.

"My wife."

Her eyebrows pulled inwards. A motion barely noticeable enough yet it tugged at my heart. All signs indicated that she would be fine. I sighed, releasing all of my fear with a single breath. But just as soon as you try to push all the air out of your lungs, there's always some that stays behind. It picked at me like a festering sore.

"I didn't even try to catch you..." I said, rubbing her cheek with my thumb. "To think I should've mastered it by now..." I continued. A smile tugged at my lips.

"That and a triple back-flip landing."

There was nothing left to be done. No medicine I could give her, and no injuries on her body for me to bandage up. I had to trust in her strength to recover, and she needed to be at home, in our own bed. She needed to rest somewhere other than my flourescently lit office on a hard patient's bench. I looked at my watch, which was resting just below her cheek.

It was 20 minutes past midnight.

 _'There'll be no trains running at this hour... and we certainly won't be catching a taxi...'_

I sighed and was forced to surrender my hopes for bringing her home in a nice, heated train or car. I stood up from my chair and pushed it back into my desk. After shrugging my lab coat off of my shoulders, I placed it by her feet and picked her up from underneath her cold body. Once I had shifted her so that she was comfortably in my arms, I picked up my coat and draped it over her, tucking one side in against my stomach so that it wouldn't fall off.

After turning out the light and locking the door with one free hand, I took the elevator down to the reception lobby, preparing myself for the long walk home that awaited Kotoko and I. A shiver ran down my spine when I stepped out into the night. I wasted no time in turning towards the direction of home.

The events of the night kept playing through my head as I stared down at Kotoko, her head limply bobbing with my strides. The way the fatigue had come over her like a flipped switch, how she'd swayed from side to side.

How she'd inexplicably collapsed.

But as I looked down to her slightly rosy cheeks, I was reminded of a possibility that had come to mind not only when she fainted, but that I thought could explain her slightly out-of-character behavior as of recently as well.

Maybe not so inexplicably, after all.

* * *

NAOKI'S POV

I'd managed to make it home with Kotoko, unharmed.

Despite how alone I'd felt the entire walk home without her constantly talking my ear off, I still felt motivated by her. I could feel her cheering me on as I'd kept walking, shoving through the pain of my aching feet, back, and my numb arms.

I didn't even announce that I was home when I finally made it through the door with Kotoko hanging from my arms. The only thing that fueled me was my determination to get her in our warm bed, and finally see her smiling face as she slept. That little reassurance that everything would be alright.

"Welcome home!" Mom's voice echoed from the kitchen, cheery as ever. I could hear her shuffling in her slippers to greet who she expected to be me and a happy, conscious Kotoko.

' _That's right, I didn't even call home. Whatever. There's no time for this now.'_

I pressed forward, towards the family room. Before I could even reach the entrance, Mom shuffled out from the kitchen and stopped in her tracks. Her smile fell to a grave expression when she laid her eyes on Kotoko. In that moment she'd aged about 10 years with fear.

But it wasn't enough to stop me. Kotoko needed rest as soon as possible. She was depending on me.

"Onii-chan!" Mom exclaimed, gasping for breath. "What happened?!"

I shifted my gaze down to Kotoko, ignoring my mother's pressing concern. I shoved past her and into the living room, where my father and Yuuki both sat reading on the couch.

"Onii-chan!" Mom called out again. As I carried Kotoko quickly through the room and to the hallway, I could see father and Yuuki stand up.

I knew they were concerned, but they would have to wait.

As I finally reached our bedroom door, I pulled it open and stepped inside as quickly as I could in spite of Kotoko weighing me down. Father and Yuuki's uproar sounded from the living room as I could hear mother tell them what she'd seen.

I walked over to our bed and laid Kotoko down with a sigh. My shoulders and legs were practically screaming with pain.

But seeing Kotoko lying there, in our own bed, was relief enough to dull all my agony.

I sighed and sat on the edge of the bed next to her, and stroked her cheek. She wasn't as cold as she had been in my office, thanks to my makeshift lab coat blanket. But something was still off.

"Eh," I exclaimed as the realization hit me. She couldn't go to sleep in her nurse's uniform.

Carefully, I pulled Kotoko up from under her back until she was sitting upright, and I leaned her head against my chest for support.

"Do you think she's alright?!" I could hear Mom exclaim from the living room. I sighed again, and rubbed Kotoko's back in thought.

 _'Can she not be so overbearing for once? It's no help to me when I already have to deal with my unconscious wife.'_

I was almost shocked by the inconsiderateness of my inner thoughts. It should've been no surprise to me, as being hurtful was the shield I put up when angry or exhausted. Weak.

 _'But still... she has a right to be concerned.'_

I cupped Kotoko's shoulders in my hands and turned her around to give myself access to the back of her uniform. The bow she'd tied for herself in the back was so horribly knotted, I couldn't help but smirk. After fumbling with it for a minute or so, it came undone. After that, I unbuttoned the entirety of the white dress down to the bottom, and pulled it off with ease. Kotoko's loud breathing echoed against the bedroom ceiling, and I could feel it's vibrations along her spine as I rubbed her back again. Gently, I turned her and laid her back down. I left her on the bed for a moment and got up to grab a pair of clean pajamas from the dresser.

Of course, nothing was folded. It took me longer than I would've liked just to find a matching yellow top and bottom.

And something else.

An untouched bright pink package of pads caught my eye. I wouldn't even have noticed it if I hadn't been rummaging through every unmatched pajama top or bottom in the drawer. It had been shoved to the very back.

A stark realization pierced me in the chest as I struggled to remember why I'd immediately recognized them.

 _'Didn't I buy those...?'_ I questioned. For more than once tonight, I was unsure of myself. When I thought back, a certain memory suddenly came to mind.

" _The bright pink ones, Irie-kun. With flowers on the package, please!"_ Kotoko had nagged me over the phone. When I'd asked her for the brand, she'd sighed and admitted: _"I dont remember what they're called..."_

 _'Typical Kotoko.'_ I thought.

That had been a week or two before her birthday.

And they were still unopened.

For a moment, I fell silent, and I could feel my mouth fall open a bit. My mind was empty, and I couldn't even think of anything to say to this realization. The flowery plastic package, flashing at me from its spot at the back of the drawer, said it all.

I unfolded myself and stood up from my position on the floor, with the yellow pajamas in my hand. I looked over at Kotoko on the bed. Her paleness was even more shocking to me than before, now that she was wearing nothing more than her underwear.

But her cheeks, they were still slightly flushed.

I walked over and sat back down by her side. Once more, I pulled her up against my body. Kotoko, usually so strong and determined, entirely depended on me. A feeling of pain like a knife plunged into my heart to see her like this, so weak and frail. My love for her, the warm feeling I'd come to know twisted the knife, adding insult to the stab wound I felt in my chest.

As I focused on gently lifting and pulling each pale, limp arm and her head through the shirt holes, I regained my thoughts. The realization I'd had by seeing what I'd found in Kotoko's drawer wasn't really a surprise to me, like I imagined figuring something like that out would've been.

Actually, it'd just been a confirmation. A confirmation about what had been playing on my mind ever since we'd made love on her birthday, and the possibility I'd considered but quickly pushed away to focus on getting Kotoko home on my walk through Tokyo's cold night.

The possibility that quickly flashed through my thoughts when Kotoko first fainted.

As I fumbled with buttoning up her shirt, my brain was elsewhere.

Twice, I'd tried to ask her.

We'd been in the living room. The entire family had been sprawled among the couches, covered in blankets and ice packs. After I told them the diagnosis: influenza, Mom of course immediately asked Kotoko if she was alright despite her own ridiculous cough.

" _I'm fine!_ " Kotoko exclaimed. " _For some reason, I feel really good lately!_ "

" _Kotoko..._ " I had started, not quite sure how to approach my suspicion. " _You..._ "

" _Hm?_ " She stared up at me. As expected, she was totally clueless. The pout on her face said it all. Looking at her, I remembered we were in the presence of the entire family and Mom, regardless of how close to unconscious they all nearly were. It'd be a fatal mistake to even tell her not to overwork herself. Mom would jump to conclusions, and what if I was wrong?

" _No..._ " I'd quickly dismissed her, looking away.

Then, the question resurfaced in my mind earlier tonight, before she'd fainted. I'd found her, on night duty, in the break room. She'd been sighing and swooning, so excited that our shifts were overlapping. I was thankful, too, but not for the same reason as she was. After I poured my coffee, I watched her twist from side to side in her own bliss, with her hands clasped. Sure enough, as I watched her face, my gaze was met with a telltale flush in her cheeks.

" _What?_ "

" _I've been wanting to ask you..._ "I had started, being as gentle as possible. " _Are you feeling okay?_ "

" _Huh? Uh... mm._ " She'd nodded. That smile I loved fell in concentration. _"I'm a little tired,"_ she'd continued, " _Maybe a little feverish..._ "I could barely hear her, as she'd uttered it under her breath. Even when I'd directly asked her how she'd been feeling, she didn't want to bother me. " _But I'm fine._ "

" _Are you eating?_ " I immediately demanded. I may have been getting ahead of myself, but if she was really pregnant, I wanted assurance that she'd been taking care of herself. Especially with all of the sick patients we'd been seeing all day.

" _I don't have much of an appetite. We've been so busy."_

Quickly snapping back to reality, I buttoned the last button.

' _No appetite, yet she loves eating.'_ I thought blankly. I looked down to her face, resting against my shoulder. But I was especially focusing on the flush in her cheeks.

' _She's so pale, but her cheeks are still flushed._ ' I noted, again.

Still unsure of what to do with my thoughts, I picked up the yellow pajama pants beside me. Suddenly, Kotoko sighed. My heart nearly slammed to a stop. Quickly, I looked at her, but she looked the same as just a few seconds ago. Her eyes were still shut. I let out my own sigh and held the soft underside of her leg, shoving it into one of the pant holes of the pajama pants. I didn't even check to see if they were backwards.

"Irie... kun..." I felt Kotoko's breath against my neck. When I looked down at her, she had the tiniest smile. Something inside me ached.

"You're such a big help," I said in her ear. I tried to sound as reserved as possible, in case she could hear me. But really, I couldn't help the stupid grin on my face.

Even when she was unconscious, her feelings for me remained as strong as ever.

Despite the voice in the back of my mind that wanted to deny it, I loved it that way.

After I successfully got both legs into her flannel pajama pants, I placed a hand under Kotoko's back and laid her onto the bed. She groaned as I pulled the covers out from under her with barely any force. I was still grinning like an idiot as I dragged them over her limp body and tucked her in as much as possible.

Once I was satisfied with how cozy she looked, I laid myself down on top of the covers beside her. I propped my head up with my arm and stared down at her. Her breathing was almost louder than when I had brought her into my office.

I was smiling, but inside I became angry. Disappointed. Kotoko, who I loved, who depended on me. I had failed to break her fall, again. I had failed as her husband. Yet I knew when she gained consciousness, she would be all but thrilled just to see my face again, and not even think twice about the fact that she'd fallen.

That's right, she definitely wouldn't even know why she'd passed out so suddenly. But I did.

Was Kotoko pregnant?

I was confident the answer would be yes.

* * *

KOTOKO'S POV

Okaa-san, Yuuki, Dad, Otou-san. Familiar faces were hovering over me.

Okaa-san gasped with a smile of relief, and I could see Yuuki's mouth drop open.

"Ah! She's awake!" Yuuki exclaimed. I tried to get a better look at Dad, whose eyebrows were pushed together.

"It's true!" Okaa-san squealed in relief. "Kotoko-chan is awake!"

' _Where's... Irie-kun...?'_

" _Onii-chan! Onii-chan! Kotoko-chan is up!"_ Okaa-san was shouting, and a weight was lifted from my side as she rolled off the bed and stumbled to the bedroom door.

 _'What's happening? Everyone is so worried...'_

" _Kotoko-chan is...!"_ I could hear Okaa-san exclaim.

"Mama, calm down, calm down!" Otou-san interjected, grabbing her by the shoulders. I pulled myself up to see what was happening.

"What...?" I croaked out "I..." I looked from Yuuki to Papa's worried faces, then down at the floor.

 _'What happened? I don't remember getting in bed... or anything from last night...'_

Quickly, Okaa-san rushed to my side. "Kotoko-chan, you collapsed at the hospital." She explained to me.

Suddenly, Yuuki piped up. "Onii-chan carried you home."

"You've been sleeping until now," Okaa-san continued in a rush.

Bits and pieces of it were coming back to me, and my heart started to pound.

 _'I remember... Irie-kun's blurry face... and the floor-'_

"We were so worried! Thank God you're up..." Okaa-san grabbed my arm and started to shake me. Her face was wrinkled all over in concern, and although I still couldn't really remember what happened, I felt horrible that everyone was so distraught. It was all my fault...

"Gomenasai, I made you worry," I said. I was so embarrassed that I looked away.

"That's right!" Dad exclaimed. "You really had us worried...!" I could hear him start to sob, and I looked up.

 _'Dad...?'_

Otou-san smiled and slapped him on the back.

"All Is well! Kotoko is fine," he sighed as Dad sniffed and wiped his face..

I didn't know what to do. No matter how hard I tried, I could only remember half of what happened to me last night. I let my mouth hang open and looked to Okaa-san, who was still staring at me with a pained expression. Suddenly, she grabbed both my arms and pulled me into a hug, and I could feel her sniffling against my chest.

 _'Oba-sama...'_

"Gomenasai ne, Kotoko-chan!" She cried in my ear. My whole body shook as she squeezed me lovingly. "You caught our influenza!"

 _'Huh...? But I feel totally fine!'_

Oba-sama pulled away from me and stared at me with shame in her eyes.

"You had to work at the hospital, and take care of us as well!" She looked sadly at Dad, Yuuki and Otou-san. I felt like I was about to cry. They'd done nothing wrong! It was me who fainted, yet she was taking all of the blame and worrying herself even more... And even if I was sick, it still wasn't their fault! They couldn't help that they'd caught the influenza. Irie-kun and I had decided to help them, so if anyone was to blame it was me. Even so, I felt fine!

"Gomenasai ne, we pushed you too hard..." Okaa-san grasped my hands in an iron grip, and rubbed my arm. I couldn't bear to see her feel so badly anymore.

"That's not it, Okaa-san!" I smiled to assure her, and squeezed her hand. "I slept well, so I feel totally fine!" She still didn't look entirely convinced.

"If I take some medicine now, I'll be totally okay tomorrow!"

 _'That's right, I'll beat this influenza before I even feel sick! I'll take some medicine, just in case.'_

"Really, Kotoko-chan?!" Okaa-san sighed in relief.

"Hai!" I exclaimed to her, "I'm fine, I'm fine!" I was smiling so hard that my cheeks were hurting. Finally, Okaa-san's sad expression fell into a relieved smile, and I felt relieved as well that she wasn't going to worry herself over me. Especially since I felt completely fine. I giggled and crawled out from under the covers. I turned to my nightstand and opened the drawer in search for the medicine Irie-kun had bought a few weeks ago, in case we caught the flu, too. Almost immediately, I saw the white box and pulled it out.

Oba-sama reached for me and gave my arm a reassuring rub. "I'll bring you some water, then!" she announced cheerily, and sat up from the bed to walk to the kitchen. Everyone else looked a bit more relieved too. I was happy, now that it seemed me assuring Okaa-san had calmed everyone else's frayed nerves, too.

"Hai! Arigato gozaimasu," I exclaimed. I smiled down at the little box of medicine in my hand.

 _'It's a good thing Okaa-san mentioned this so early! Even if I'm not sick, I'm bound to be totally fine if I take this before I start to come down with anything. Great thinking, Nurse Kotoko!'_

Suddenly, as Okaa-san shuffled over to the door, her voice interrupted my thoughts.

"Onii-chan, look! Kotoko-chan is up!"

I fumbled to slide the medicine out of it's cute little box, and flipped it to read the label. Just when I'd pulled it out halfway, a familiar hand closed over mine and stopped me. I looked up to find Irie-kun standing in front of me with his arm stretched out, and his deep brown eyes staring into mine from underneath his eyelids.

"Don't drink it." He said firmly.

"Heh...?" I squeaked. Slowly, he pulled it out of my hands and away from me.

"Not now."

I didn't know what to say. Although I felt relieved that Irie-kun had finally come to see me in all this confusion, he didn't seem to feel the same. His face was blank and his eyes looked restless, like something was bothering him. Suddenly, I could feel a blush heat up my cheeks after realizing he'd carried me home. Out of our entire family, he would've been the most worried, and I hadn't even realized it. The knotted feeling in my stomach that I thought went away for good returned. It felt like I'd ate too many sushi balls.

"Sorry to worry you, Irie-kun," I stared down at his striped slippers. I felt like such an idiot, having gone and fainted and worried him so much. But... I couldn't be discouraged. I felt fine! And maybe Irie-kun would feel better too, once I assured him. "But I'm totally fine now!" I waved my hands furiously and gave him my best smile. "I don't know why I totally blacked out-"

"Kotoko." Irie-kun interrupted me. I smiled up at him. His face was still expressionless, but his eyes still looked like he knew something I didn't. For a few seconds, he said nothing.

"When..." he said gently, then paused again. He looked so... serious.

"...was your last period?"

Immediately, my smile fell.

It felt like someone had dumped a bucket of ice cold water over me, sending my thoughts in a hopeless scurry.

Hundreds of voices cried out in my head. _'What...? Period... over two months ago... what?! I'm late...?! Why does he...'_

"W-.. W-.. What..?" I stuttered. I shot up onto my knees and balled the blankets up with my fists. I kept blinking, trying to search for an answer. "Why... do... you ask?"

"That's right, Onii-chan!" Okaa-san exclaimed from her spot at the end of the bed. "What are you saying?!"

But Irie-kun didn't look away from me. "Are you..." he started.

 _'What...?! What?!'_

"I-Irie-kun...?" Was all I could muster.

The world stopped. Dad, Outou-san, Okaa-san, Yuuki... all silent.

"...pregnant?"

Irie-kun stared at me as that word slammed into me like a train. My whole body went numb, and my face fell slack. That one word, had sucked all of the energy out of my body. For a few seconds, I wondered if I was going to faint again.

 _'Pregnant... Me... a baby?'_

A switch was flipped in my mind. Late period... no appetite... kinda feverish... And I'd been feeling so good lately, like I could do anything in the world.

My mouth dropped open, and I stared up at Irie-kun. All around us, the family fell into hysterics, but I couldn't even bring myself to focus on them. I felt that if I looked away from Irie-kun... the whole world would fall out from underneath me. Out of the corner of my eye I could see Oba-sama gripping the door frame to hold herself up, and Dad and Otou-san going red in the face. Yuuki's jaw unhinged. My heart was pounding, the thoughts in my head were popping up so fast that I couldn't even understand anything I was saying in my own head. My brain was shutting down. Was I going into shock?!

As I looked up at Irie-kun, it looked like he hadn't moved an inch. But as I found myself gazing at him in my haze of disbelief, I noticed a teeny tiny smirk play across his lips. As the family's happiness surged all around me, I could only focus on Irie-kun as he set the box of medicine down on my nightstand. He didn't look away from me.

"Change into some clothes. We need to go."


	2. Chapter 2

***AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hello again, everyone! First off, I just want to say, thank you SO much for all of the absolutely lovely reviews. I really can't explain in words how much I appreciate it when you guys take the time to write such nice things. Really, thank you. Also, thanks to everyone who has read! I am truly shocked by the reaction my story has received so far, and it's only motivated me even more to keep writing. I'm so happy you all love reading it just as much as I love writing it! :D

Also, I'd like to apologize if this chapter seems a little late. I had to study non-stop for finals this past weekend, and just finished my last exam this week! However, now that I'm finally out for summer, I'm happy to announce that updates will probably be coming much more frequently from now on. ;) So, don't stop checking back! However, my main priority with this story isn't to write as fast as possible just to get a chapter out. What comes first is writing chapters that are not only fun to read, but are important to the story and true to the characters. Because of this, chapters probably won't be coming out rapid fire.

***In other words, I'm sorry that this chapter is so long. ^_^ In this specific chapter there was so much I felt like I had to cover for the sake of the story, but don't worry. I promise that future chapters won't take this long to read!

***If the cultural aspects of pregnancy in this chapter (and throughout the rest of the story) seem a little odd to you, that is because I've researched and tried to treat the pregnancy in the story as how it's dealt with specifically in Japan. So if certain things that are said seem different to you than how pregnancy is treated in your culture, that is why! :)

Hope that clears up everything. As always, thank you so much for reading, and enjoy! ouo

* * *

KOTOKO'S POV

As Irie-kun dragged me through the clinic waiting room, I tried as hard as I possibly could to gather my thoughts. But, no matter my energizing determination, my brain just couldn't keep up. All I could focus on was his tight grip on my hand, and how I had to try not to trip over my left shoelace. Irie-kun had me in such a rush out the door that I hadn't even realized that I'd only tied one shoe! It was only until we had to go through the big sliding doors at the entrance that I noticed my tiny mistake. My shoelace had gotten caught in the door for an embarrassing 5 minutes until I'd finally managed to kick it free.

The waiting room was big and airy. The walls were white, and the pretty morning sunlight streamed in through the windows. It reminded me of when I was little. Dad told me that some people believed in a nice place where people stay after they die. That was the night that Mom had passed away. At the time, I'd tried my hardest to imagine Mom in a place just like this, except with more clouds. My chest felt warm and fuzzy at the thought.

' _Okaa-san,_ ' I thought as loud as I could, so she could hear me. I struggled to keep up with Irie-kun's long legs as we passed by the rows of padded benches. Many women were scattered among the seats. One woman was so huge, she look like she'd swallowed a watermelon! Another younger woman, who was sitting next to her husband, didn't look pregnant at all. Suddenly, I wondered if my Mom had come to a clinic like this with Dad, too.

Mom's face came to my mind, and I nearly tripped over my shoelace again. I almost giggled out loud when I remembered the picture of her when she was Miss Tonburi.

 _'Okaa-san,'_ I thought again. I stared at Irie-kun's back, his arm stretched out behind him as he tugged me along. _'Did you do this, too, when you found out I was in your stomach?'_

Irie-kun pulled me up beside him when he finally stopped at the clinic desk. I placed my hands on the smooth counter top and fumbled with my fingers, sucking my lip in and chewing on it. A woman with a tight bun dressed in a white nurse's outfit smile at the both of us. She opened her mouth to say something, but she was quickly cut off.

"A pregnancy test, please," Irie-kun announced as he placed his hands on the counter, leaning in so he wouldn't have to repeat himself. I stared at a poster promoting a nearby birthing hospital just past the woman's head, deep in thought.

 _'Are you proud, Okaa-san?'_ I bit my lip harder as Irie-kun and the nurse talked about something.

I could see the woman smile out of the corner of my eye. "No problem. We'll just need you to fill out this questionnaire. And, ma'am, you'll need to provide a urine sample."

 _'I'm so nervous. My heart is pounding like crazy. Was yours, too?'_

"Oi, Kotoko," Irie-kun's annoyed voice broke my concentration. It made me flinch, and my eyes widened. I started blinking rapidly as I was pulled out of my head and back into reality. I turned to Irie-kun, who was holding out a paper cup. He squinted and tapped the side of my arm with the edge of it.

"Go on," He urged. Despite his frustrated face, I noticed that his voice was more gentle than usual. I looked to the nurse and her polite smile, then back to Irie-kun. They were both waiting.

"Haaaiii..." I said with a fake smile plastered on my face, praying to God that they wouldn't notice my uncontrollable squirming. How embarrassing for something like this to come from Irie-kun! The nurse awkwardly pointed in the direction of the bathroom, and I walked away as quickly as possible. Once they were out of sight, I twisted my face in agony.

 _'Okaa-san... did they make you pee In a cup, too?'_

* * *

KOTOKO'S POV

The floor of the hallway was white, too. Just like the waiting area. If I looked hard enough, I could see little flecks of pink in the tile.

' _Pink... what if it's a girl? Oh, Oba-sama would be sooo so happy!'_ Just for a moment, I let myself grin a little. But my pure bliss didn't last for long.

' _I shouldn't get my hopes up like this..._ ' I scolded myself. ' _What if I'm not even pregnant? I'll just make myself depressed if I keep thinking about it like it's definitely happening... then I'll only have myself to blame.'_ I looked down at my untied shoe and sighed. _'Its alright. I'll just think of something else until they call my name!'_

Except there was just a small... small problem. I couldn't. When I thought of my next nursing report that was due soon, the image of the dusty nursery back at home flashed through my mind. When I thought about seeing Chris and Kin-chan when they came back from their honeymoon, I suddenly wondered if it would be too early to have an ultrasound.

' _I bet it would look like a pea!_ ' I thought to myself, and brought my finger up to my chin in thought. ' _Yes. Definitely not big enough yet-'_

I scrunched my face up and pinched my leg. I sighed and let my head hang back lazily to look up at the ceiling, which was boring and just plain white.

In a last desperate effort, I tried to think about food. ' _Okay, Kotoko. You can do this!'_ Determined, I imagined the tallest, most ridiculous bowl of parfait I possibly could. I shut my eyes tight and dreamed of big, sparkly scoops of strawberry ice cream... and bonbons... and little melon balls... I could practically taste it!

 _'I bet Kin-chan could make an absolutely amazing parfait...!'_ I licked my lips, and I swear I could feel an earthquake of hunger in my stomach.

Suddenly, I sensed the heat of Irie-kun's stare from his seat next to me on the bench. It made me think of his cat-like eyes, so brown that they were almost the color of squid ink. Before I knew it, the parfait vanished from my imaginary view and was replaced by a gurgling baby with the exact same eyes and a tiny button nose. _Kyaaaaa!~_

Ugh! This was hopeless! ' _Why can't I think of anything else?!'_

In defeat I leaned my elbows onto my knees, and slammed my head down into my hands. Visions of adorable little socks and hats danced in my brain while I heaved out a gigantic sigh.

"...Are you alright?" Irie-kun asked, surprising me out of my struggle. My eyebrows shot up immediately and I turned to look at him. His eyebrow was raised just a little bit. I was relieved that he didn't look as annoyed as he sounded, but I was confused as to why he was asking me.

"Irie-kun...?" I pursed my lips.

"Taku..." he said under his breath. He shifted his weight on the bench and folded his arms across his chest. I watched as he turned his head and looked at something in the distance. "You haven't said anything since this morning," he sighed.

 _'Is... is Irie-kun concerned about his pregnant wife?'_ I gasped in my head. _'Yes! That must be it!'_

"Don't worry, I'm fine!" I smiled up at him. "I was just thinking." I turned my gaze back down to the speckled floor.

"You mean daydreaming?" He replied, turning to look at me. I turned to stare back up at him, and accidentally let out a strained giggle, giving away my embarassment.

"Nnn-mm," I said quickly, shaking my head. "I was just thinking that..."

But quickly, I stopped myself. If I told Irie-kun what I thought about all of this... no, it'd be too embarrassing. If I said it, then I'd probably sound like such an idiot... then he'd laugh or say something mean and I'd feel even dumber. My smile fell a little bit as I spaced out and looked at the sliding door of the office in front of us.

"Thinking about what?" Irie-kun asked gently, knocking me out of my daze. I looked back at him with wide eyes. He actually looked like he wanted to know.

"No, no, no!" I dismissed him quickly, smiling as hard as I could as I shook my hands. "It's nothing... really!" I said, hoping my laugh would reassure him.

"Kotoko." Irie-kun interrupted. He looked me straight in the eyes, and I couldn't look away. I could never look away when he looked at me like that. I couldn't hide from him. I felt myself blushing furiously as I looked back down at the floor. I clasped my hands together and shrugged my shoulders up to my ears, thinking of how I was going to say what had been on my mind.

"Well... it's just..." I started, giggling nervously. Then, I knew what I wanted to say. "...Remember when I thought I was pregnant after our honeymoon? And I'd asked you what you thought when I told you about the baby..." I bit my lip.

"Ah," Irie-kun said. I could still feel his eyes trained on me. Usually I just talked whether or not I knew he was paying attention, because I was just happy that he would hear whatever I had to say. But whenever he listened to me like this... it made me really think about what I was saying.

"You told me that at first, your mind went totally blank," I continued quickly. I smiled at the memory, because now I knew how Irie-kun had felt. "Well this time, you were the one who told me I was pregnant, and now I don't know what to think," I said. Irie-kun lifted his chin a bit, but didn't take his eyes off of me. My cheeks felt hot.

"My mind went totally blank," I told him, my smile falling. I just knew I sounded like an idiot, but I couldn't stop. "It doesn't feel real..."

I trailed off, losing what I wanted to say. I stared straight at the door, hoping it would slide open and someone, anyone would call my name.

"It's like a dream," I said quietly. "But I don't know what to think of it."

There, I'd said it. I looked over at Irie-kun for a split second, to see his reaction, but I couldn't look him in the eye. I stared at the floor and let my head hang down, trying to hide my burning cheeks with my hair. My smile was completely drained from my face.

My whole body tensed up, and I shut my eyes tight, waiting in the silence for Irie-kun's cold remark.

Suddenly, before I even knew what was happening, Irie-kun grabbed my arm and pulled me in tight against him. My eyes popped open as I slammed into his soft, warm shirt. My head was locked between his shoulder and his chin as he rested it on top of my head. I was so stunned, I couldn't move. His chest rose and pressed against me as he breathed in.

"Irie-kun...?" I squeaked. A rush of air was forced out of my lungs as he squeezed me tighter.

For a little bit, it was just quiet. I wanted to enjoy the moment... Irie-kun almost never hugged me in public like this. When I breathed in, his shirt smelled comforting, like rain and soap mixed together. It smelled like home.

"Me, too," he said quietly. The vibrations of his voice tickled my forehead. "But..." he said, drifting off. He was silent for a few seconds, deep in thought. I could feel his heartbeat against my cheek as he breathed in deeply. "You are not alone. I'm with you, so don't be scared."

At those words, a warm wave of relief washed over me, my entire body tingling down to my toes. The battling thoughts in my head like a swarm of bees melted into a calming ocean. The dizzying love I felt in my chest was so strong that my mind was emptied of everything but Irie-kun.

 _'I love you Irie-kun... I really, really love you!'_ My brain cried out. In that moment, I realized that everything was going to be okay. As long as Irie-kun was by my side... I could do anything. I threw my arm around him and shut my eyes tight.

"Mmmm," I nodded. I could see my hair standing up with static after my hair rubbed against his shirt, but I didn't care. "Mmm!" I repeated, squeezing him tighter. I gathered the softness of the back of his shirt into a little clump in my fist, and held on. I could feel an uncontrollable lump forming in my throat. I was so happy... but so relieved in Irie-kun's arms that I felt like crying and crying until I was empty. As I felt his warm kiss on the top of my head, a realization struck me, pulling me out of my bright cloud of absolute bliss.

"Hey..." I started. I opened my eyes halfway and stared down into his white shirt. I sucked my lip in and chewed on it, waiting.

"Hmmm?" He hummed, pulling his chin off of its resting place on my head. He pulled back and looked down at me. I didn't want to meet his stare; I was too afraid I would really start crying. I didn't want my face to be all red and puffy, especially since a nurse could call me in at any minute.

"Aren't you embarassed?" I asked, biting down on my lip even harder. I tried to push the rock down my throat and took a deep breath "We're in a hospital. People might see us..."

Without warning, Irie-kun pulled me back against his chest. The slam of my head into his shirt caused a tear to spill over onto my cheek. I quickly wiped it away and sniffed in as hard as I could.

"I don't care," he said bluntly, and the breath from his nose blew across the top of my head. Finally, I melted into his embrace. All of the bad and scary thoughts that left me speechless since this morning had simply disappeared. Now, in Irie-kun's arms, I'd realized how selfish I'd been to think that they were only bothering me, and how far away they seemed now. Suddenly, I flinched as I heard the door slide open. Irie-kun let go of me and quickly pulled away, and I looked to find a woman with curled hair standing in the doorway.

"Irie-san? Irie Kotoko-san? Please come in!" She announced, smiling at me. Quickly, I jumped to my feet. Not knowing what to do with myself, I pressed my hands stiffly against my sides like a soldier.

"H-...Hai!" I stuttered. I sucked my lip in again as my nerves sparked and tingled all over.

 _'Irie-kun is here with you... so don't be scared!'_

After hesitating, I turned to look down at Irie-kun. I found him already staring at me, and I immediately met his deep brown stare. I took a deep breath.

"I'm going..." I said, surprised at how quiet my voice was. For a few seconds, Irie-kun watched me intently, then gave me a little nod.

I turned my back to him and smiled nervously at the woman in the doorway, then made my way to the brightly lit office. My shoes, one still untied, squeaked so loud against the floor that I grasped my hands in front of me and looked down at the floor in embarrassment. I was nervous... but I felt energized by Irie-kun's gentle words. As long as I knew that he would be in the hallway waiting for me, I was ready.

 _'Alright, Kotoko... let's do this!'_ I cheered in my head, determined. Before I stopped inside the door, I turned back to face Irie-kun one more time. His eyes were still following me, and his lips were slightly parted.

Before I could look away from him, the woman slowly slid the door shut.

* * *

NAOKI'S POV

As Kotoko's bright, innocent face disappeared behind the blur of the sliding door, I was shut out from her and left to my own thoughts. Alone.

This situation was familiar, like a stranger I'd suddenly been forced to reconnect with. Thanks to the pregnancy scare my mother caused by blowing Kotoko's indigestion way out of proportion, I had sat in this same position before. However, that had been a few years ago; Right after I'd married Kotoko, and this time the unorganized tangle of feelings I felt inside was... different.

Shock... uncertainty... confusion. That was just a sample of what I'd felt the first time. I'd just returned from that long trip away from home... although it had only been 3 uneventful days, it was just too long to be away from Kotoko, though I'd never admit it to her. Eager to go back to my normal life at home I was greeted at the front door with the possibility that Kotoko might've been pregnant. When she'd finally managed to sputter it out, her words, although admitting she wasn't entirely sure, bounced off of me. My mind fell totally blank. It had been so early after marrying her that the possibility of getting pregnant hadn't even occurred to me yet, despite having made love to her for the first time on our honeymoon. And so, I'd dragged her to this same clinic with the same question on my mind. But even still...

This time, I was the one who had been suspicious before she did. And although Kotoko admitted to me that she felt the same way I had during our first pregnancy scare, I couldn't lie to myself and say that I felt ready.

The feelings of anxiousness... wanting to know what the hell was going on inside that office with Kotoko and the midwife... and the tiny knots of excitement that bubbled to the surface greeted me like an old friend in the pit of my stomach. The most nerve-wracking was still the uncertainty of it all. I had good reason to believe that Kotoko was probably pregnant this time... but if it had been indigestion the first time...

' _She really does pig out so easily... and I don't know anything for sure until we get an official opinion...'_

If only I'd studied pregnancy in my spare time, then I'd know for sure and wouldn't have to feel as if I was being eaten from the inside out.

A baby.

With Kotoko.

And me, a dad.

It was the first time today that I'd even let the word 'baby' into my mind.

Of course, it wasn't a baby yet.

 _'Or wouldn't be... if it happened 2 months ago.'_ I corrected myself.

I sighed and stared down at the floor, my eyes half closed in my concentration.

I tried to imagine myself as someone's dad, and suddenly felt like Kotoko when she slapped her cheeks in pure, ignorant bliss amidst a surely ridiculous daydream.

Instantly I saw a younger version of her, with a determined spirit and a smile as bright as her mother.

Kotoko, a mom. The two just didn't go together. I smiled and leaned back with the support of the wall behind me, and I couldn't help the short laugh that escaped me.

 _'Mama, wake up!'_ The tiny Kotoko pouted in my head. _'It's the 7-3-5 festival today, and you're still wearing pajamas?!'_ Kotoko's snoring echoed loudly somewhere in the background of my thoughts. My smile widened.

' _Papa, tell Mama to wake up!'_ The imaginary little girl demanded.

 _'Papa...'_ I thought to myself. My smile faded quickly as I seriously considered the word, turning it over and over in my mind.

I'd almost forgotten what it felt like to be a parent.

...and how much I'd liked it.

* * *

NAOKI'S POV

About 15 minutes passed and the sliding door remained shut, locking Kotoko away from my view.

I'd struggled to remember exactly how long it had taken for Kotoko to find out that she wasn't pregnant the first time, but I wasn't sure. All I was sure of was that it hadn't taken this long.

With my hands clasped and my wrists balancing on my knees, I tried to hear what was going on in there. Whenever there was a window of time where the hallway was silent, I could just make out the drone of the midwife's voice, and if I was lucky, Kotoko in between. Then a machine would start to beep, or someone else's voice would ring out from behind a different sliding door and I'd be shot back into the darkness of uncertainty. It frustrated me to no end that I couldn't be in there with her, but at the same time I knew she was in good hands. All I could do was hope for the best, and tell myself to leave it to the professional.

My ears perked up as I heard the sound of the sliding door gently and slowly roll open. I immediately picked my gaze up from the floor and turned my attention to the door in front of me. I squinted as my eyes were flooded with the light pouring out of the office and the discomfort that came with it. It was like I'd stared directly into the sun, especially after having my eyes half closed for nearly 20 minutes.

When my eyes adjusted, the first thing I saw was Kotoko. Speaking of the sun. Her bright face and huge eyes came into my focus immediately, and I heard the echo of her squeaky shoes skitter across the floor. I quickly stood to my feet and swallowed, my heart pounding beyond my control. I could feel the palms of my hands tingle with sweat.

So slowly that it was agonizing, she took cautious steps towards me, all the while avoiding my gaze. Finally, after what seemed like another 15 minutes on its own, she stopped a few inches in front of me and finally looked up at me. My mouth fell open a bit and my breath hitched in my throat as those big eyes I loved so much peeked up at me from under her lashes. I desperately searched for any giveaway of emotion in her eyes... but for the first time since I'd met her, her expression was so blank that I was left questioning whether or not it was true.

"Ano-ne..." Kotoko said, swallowing. Her eyes let go of mine and instead looked at the floor.

All of my normal, organized thoughts... gone. Nothing. All I could feel was my pounding chest, my sweaty palms and Kotoko, standing right in front of me.

"Ano... ano-ne..." she repeated, her stare flashing up at me for a second but then quickly darting away. Before I could stop myself I grabbed her by the shoulders. I needed to know.

"What is it, Kotoko?" I said as firmly as possible, squeezing her arms slightly. Slowly, she brought her gaze up from the floor, then to my stomach, to my chest and then finally looking me in the eye.

"I..." she started, swallowing again.

All time stopped as I searched her watery, brown pupils.

Silence.

"I-I'm... pregnant."

Her eyes didn't leave mine. She stared up at me innocently... waiting.

Pregnant. A baby... us.

Part of Kotoko, and part of me.

Without thinking twice, I pulled her tiny frame against me, hugging her tight. I felt a release in my chest as the uncertainty fell away, and all I could focus on was the new, terrifying yet all at once exciting reality. A new reality with Kotoko.

I felt Kotoko's small arms wrap around the small of my back and pull me in closer to her.

Oddly enough in that moment, I suddenly remembered being betrothed to Chairman Ouizumi's granddaughter, Sahoko years before.

No matter how much I had tried to convince myself that marrying her was for the good of the company and my father's health, I knew I would never have been able to forget Kotoko, let alone live without her in my life.

Due to the fact that I saw Kotoko every day, slept with her every night and saw her at work, I realized how I'd taken my life with her for granted at times. I was just so used to being with her, that now I didn't even think twice about it. At times it still haunted me how close I'd come to marrying Sahoko-san... but with Kotoko in my arms now as my wife... and pregnant...

"I love you, Kotoko," I whispered in her ear. I kissed the top of her forehead and shut my eyes, absolutely and blissfully enjoying Kotoko's warmth pressed up against my chest.

"Irie-kun..." she mumbled lovingly into my shirt.

I couldn't remember any time in my life where I'd been more happy, more scared than this.

* * *

KOTOKO'S POV

Once Irie-kun and I made our way back into the office where the woman, who'd introduced herself to me as Araki Yuna, was waiting, we each took a seat by her desk. I scooted my chair a little closer to Irie-kun.

"Omedeto gozaimasu!" the midwife, Araki-sensei announced to us warmly, bowing her head slightly. My face broke into a smile and I tilted my head to the side in delight.

 _'Me... pregnant...'_ I thought, my eyelids fluttering. Hesitantly with a pout on my face, I stole a glance to my right, where my handsome husband was sitting next to me. _'Irie-kun and my baby... in my stomach!'_

My heart was still pounding, even though I'd found out the results of my test a little while ago. Now that we knew for sure that I was definitely going to have a baby... the reality finally settled in. And it was so exciting! I was so happy... and I felt like my heart had never beat this fast since the day I'd first seen Irie-kun at the entrance ceremony.

"Arigato," Irie-kun replied calmly, bowing his head. Quickly so I didn't seem disrespectful, I bowed my head, too.

"Now, I know you two must be excited. Your wife has told me that this will be your first child, yes?" Araki-sensei asked warmly. The way she spoke was so elegant, like she should've been an actress instead of a midwife. Her hair was so pretty, too! All curled up like tha-

Wait, did is she just tell Irie-kun what I told her in private? Ahhh...

I accidentally let out a embarrassed giggle.

"Yes, it is." Irie-kun replied, his deep voice echoing kinda funnily in the tiny office.

"I know how much you two must want to celebrate, but because this is a first-time pregnancy for your wife I'm afraid we'll have to go over some safety precautions and what to expect so that you two can enjoy a safe pregnancy," Araki-sensei stated, her smile falling a bit to show her seriousness. "Don't worry, it won't take too long. I've already explained some of the things to consider to your wife, so I won't repeat everything." She smiled again, and I realized she had some barely noticeable yet pretty dimples.

 _'Wow... she's beautiful...'_ I thought, bringing a finger up to my chin and examining the rest of her face. Her makeup was perfect. How did I not notice this when she was going over my test results with me?

 _'Well, I was so zoned out...'_ I smiled to myself. _'I couldn't believe I was... well, am pregnant! It really is like a dream...'_

"Also, your wife told me that you are a highly-respected doctor at Tonan Hospital!" Araki-sensei exclaimed, like it was an honor just to be in the room with Irie-kun.

 _'Ahhh! Don't tell him that...!'_

"...so I'm assuming that some of the things I'm going to explain will be commonplace for you, Irie-san." She finished. After mumbling something under her breath she turned towards her desk to fish something out of one of the drawers. While she was searching, Irie-kun slowly turned his head to look at me.

"Hmmmm? She did, did she...?" Irie-kun teased, squinting at me.

If looks could kill.

"I might have mentioned it, ahah hah... heh..." I said. As Irie-kun looked at me for a second then turned back to watch Araki-sensei pull a pink clipboard out of her drawer, I turned my head in the opposite direction and let my face fall completely flat.

 _'I really do sound that bad, don't I.'_

"Alright..." Araki-sensei announced, turning to face us with the clipboard in her hand. She squinted and drew her perfect eyebrows together as she struggled to read it. "It says here that you are 5 foot 1 and weigh 104 lb, does that sound right?" She asked, staring at me as she waited for an answer.

"Hai," I smiled, nodding my head. "That's right."

She nodded understandingly and folded her hands on her lap, drawing in a breath. "Usually for pregnant women, we recommend 7 to 8 kilograms of weight gain," she informed me, meeting my eyes with her warm gaze. "However, because you are overall a pretty petite young woman, I'm going to limit your weight gain to about 6 to 7 kilograms. It's not bad for you to gain a little more than this, because some women naturally put on more weight. However, I strongly advise you to try not to go over 7 kilograms, as having too much extra weight can make the birth more difficult."

"Kilograms...?" I asked, pursing my lips. I jutted my chin forward a little bit and brought my finger up to my chin in thought. _'How much is a kilogram again...?'_

 _"_ When the baby is fully developed, it will weigh roughly 3.5 kilograms. So that allows you 3.5 kilograms of weight gain." Araki-sensei continued. Her voice echoed throughout the room like ringing bells. "Normally I would allow a pregnant patient to eat larger portions than usual, but with you I think that you try to fight those cravings and only eat slightly more than what you usually would, just to be safe."

"Taku..." Irie-kun said, folding his arms across his chest. "That's going to be difficult."

 _'That's right! I love food so, so, soo much... how am I ever going to- Wait, did he just say that?!'_

This was supposed to be the happiest moment of my life... not the most embarrassing!

"Hm?" Araki-sensei hummed, cocking her head to the side. "And why is that?"

I looked at Irie-kun out of the corner of my eye, and gripped my skirt so hard in my hands that my knuckles hurt. _'Don't say it Irie-kun!'_

He let out a single chuckle and looked in the opposite direction of me, at the wall. "Kotoko loves to eat," he said, the corner of his mouth turning up.

Araki-sensei looked at me, with one perfectly manicured eyebrow raised high. I swallowed.

"Heh heh... I guess it's true..." I said, smiling nervously.

 _'Irie-kun!'_ I screamed in my head. I was furious. Why did he have to make things so awkward for me?!

"Don't worry, ne, Irie-san," she said, flashing me a genuine smile. Unexpectedly, she laughed a bit, and it sounded like an angel. "It won't be as hard as it sounds. Trust me, with some help from your husband for managing your meals I'm confident that you won't have any trouble staying within the limit!"

"Hai..." I responded, giving her a big nod. _'Irie-kun, managing my meals...?'_ I thought. _'Does that mean he'll give me a break, and cook for his beloved pregnant wife?'_

"Anyway with that aside, I need to tell you two about the _haaah hehh nih wohh kahh tehh, sahnnn shihh_..."

 _"Here, Kotoko." Irie-kun said, placing a plate in front of me with a rolled egg omelet, octopus balls, steamed taro and a grilled fish in a sauce so fancy that it looked straight out of an expensive restaurant. "I hope you like it. This took me two hours to prepare." He flashed a dreamy smile at me as I looked up at him._

 _"Irie-kun..." I said, smiling back up at him. Kyaaaa~! He looked so cool in his apron!_

 _"Go on and try it, Kotoko." He said, pulling up a chair and sitting right next to me. He smiled again, and placed a hand lovingly on my shoulder. "I made sure that it's packed with vitamins, now that you're eating for two." As he stared into my eyes, I felt my knees would give out and I'd drown in their inky darkness._

 _"But Irie-kun, you really didn't have to do all this..." I said, staring bashfully down at the delicious arrangement as I placed my finger on my lips. I could feel my mouth salivating already._

 _"I wanted to, for my amazing pregnant wife..." He said, putting his arm around my back. "Now try it."_

 _"Unless..." he said, leaning in a bit closer, "...you aren't hungry."_

 _He placed his hand on the side of my face, pulling me in closer and closer..._

"Oi, Kotoko." My ears perked up at the sound of Irie-kun's voice.

"Ah." I said, and my eyes popped open. Araki-sensei and Irie-kun were both staring at me, waiting. "Mmm?" I hummed.

"Taku..." Irie-kun said under his breath, annoyed. He gave me a stare so sharp that it pierced me like a knife. "Were you even listening?"

I pursed my lips and looked to nurse Araki-sensei, back to Irie-kun, who was still staring at me, and then back to Araki-sensei. She sighed and gave me a polite smile, that wasn't quite as warm but still kind enough.

"As I was saying, you have to be extremely careful from now on," she said, nodding along with her words to emphasize the importance. "As you probably know, pregnancy is counted in lunar months here in Japan, each month being 4 weeks." She stated, looking at Irie-kun and then back to me. "Currently, as your test revealed, you are about 7 and a half weeks pregnant, which places you at the 2 month mark. The first trimester, which is 4 months, is the most dangerous period." She said, a grave expression crossing her pretty features. She looked at Irie-kun with a serious look in her eye, then again, back to me. "The risk of having a miscarriage is higher during the first trimester than any other point in the pregnancy. Once you've hit the 5 month mark, you can start to breathe easy as it's much less likely for you to miscarry at that point. But for now, I desperately advise you to take good care of yourself. Be careful around stairs, try not to fall, and just take it easy." She said.

 _'That's going to be difficult, too...'_ I thought, discouraged. I didn't know how dangerous being pregnant could be. I thought the chances of things like that happening were really rare... It made me feel scared, vulnerable.

 _'But I'll give it my best. Do you hear me, baby? I won't let anything happen to you!'_

"Also, make sure your stomach is covered at all times starting today. Try to wear warm clothing over your abdomen, even if it's hot out. If your belly cools off too much, the baby could catch a cold." She said, folding her hands in her lap. "And I recommend that you wear socks as much as possible. This will make sure that the pressure point above your ankle," she paused, reached forward and tapped me just above my foot, "...which connects to your uterus, is covered and kept warm." She smiled and raised an eyebrow to make sure I understood. It was a lot of information to take in at once... but I got the basic idea. I think.

"Mmmm!" I nodded my head in response, a smile spreading across my face.

"What are some of the symptoms we can expect?" Irie-kun said, his eyebrows furrowed slightly in concern.

"Considering your wife is already 7 weeks pregnant, I was surprised to hear that she has yet to experience any morning sickness," Araki-sensei said, turning to face Irie-kun. "She might be one of those lucky women who don't experience it that badly, but unfortunately that could change very quickly. She might start to experience random onset nausea and vomiting by now." She looked up at the ceiling in thought, and folded her arms across her chest. "At this point in the pregnancy... let's see... things like headaches, fatigue... oh! And cravings." She stared back down at me with a funny smile on her face. "Especially since you love to eat, right, Irie-san?"

Immediately, I could feel my cheeks burning red hot.

"Ahahah hah... heh... h-hai..." I responded, fiddling with my fingers furiously in my lap.

 _'Why is this happening to me?! I thought you're not supposed to make fun of a pregnant woman?!'_

"Also, your breasts will start to grow, and will probably start to be really sore if they haven't already."

 _'Oh my god!'_ With Irie-kun sitting right next to me, too! I wanted to curl up and die in the corner of the office.

"Do you two own a car? Or do you prefer to take the train?" Araki-sensei asked Irie-kun.

 _'What...? That's kind of an odd question...'_

"We took the train here, actually," Irie-kun said, unfazed by the comment about my chest.

I struggled to understand what was happening as Araki-sensei nodded and turned around to her desk. She started opening all the drawers in search of something. Finally, after a few seconds of rummaging, she pulled out something tiny and turned herself back around. Before I knew what she planned on doing, she stretched her hand out and offered something to me.

It was a cute little white foam keychain, with a drawing of a mom and a tiny baby. At the bottom of the picture was written: "I have a baby in my stomach!"

"Ahhh! Kawaii!" I squeaked, admiring the adorable little illustration. I reached my hand out and she placed it gently in my palm.

"Isn't it?" She said, smiling with the corner of her mouth. She placed her hands over mine, closing it safely into my grasp. "This is a pregnancy badge. You can put this on your purse, your coat, or even wear it as a necklace if you want to," she explained, then pulled her hands away and leaned back into her chair. "If you show people this on the train, people will give up their seat in the priority area so you won't have to stand and risk falling. At some places, you'll even be allowed to use special elevators," she continued. "It's tough to tell that a woman is pregnant during the first and second trimesters, so this badge will spare you the embarrassment of having to tell people. It might even help you strike up a conversation with someone if they notice it! It's quite fun," she finished, giving me a smile so warm that my chest tingled.

"Hai!" I nodded quickly, and looked down at the cute little badge in my hand.

 _'Now everyone can know that I'm pregnant...'_ I thought to myself in amazement. Just with this cute little badge! _'I really am starting to feel like a mom!'_

Suddenly, I could hear the squeak of a chair being pushed back as Irie-kun slowly stood to his feet. I pursed my lips and quickly turned to look at him.

"Arigato gozaimasu," Irie-kun said, folding forward into a deep bow. I quickly gathered myself and stood to my feet, looking to Araki-sensei and bowing, too.

"Of course! You two have my best wishes," she said, standing, too, and bowing slightly. She turned to look at me, and reached out to pat my arm. "Take care of yourself, ne?"

"Hai! Arigato gozaimasu," I smiled until my cheeks hurt, and gave another bow.

"Kotoko, let's go," Irie-kun said, sliding the office door open with his hand and stepping out into the hallway.

"Irie-kun, wait for me!" I called out to him as I nearly tripped over my shoelace trying to catch up to him.

I could feel the foam of the cute maternity badge squish in my hand as I wrapped myself around Irie-kun's arm.

* * *

NAOKI'S POV

"She really gave us a lot of information, ne," Kotoko sighed dejectedly as we stepped back into and started to walk through the clinic's waiting room. When I looked down at her, her eyes were staring ahead, off into space. "I don't think I'm going to remember all of that..."

I nearly chuckled at her, but thought better of it.

 _'Typical Kotoko...'_

"Good thing I remember everything after hearing it once, right?" I reminded her in an annoyed tone, and kept staring down at her adorable face. Suddenly she snapped out of her daze and looked up at me with her lips in a fish-like pout.

"Ah! Mmmm..." She said, immediately floating off again and staring at the women who were seated in the waiting area.

 _'Taku... she has the attention span of a fish...'_

As I looked to my right, I noticed the entrance to the clinic store. Like any typical gift store, the shelves inside were lit up and lined with different medicines, vitamins, and other things like...

Socks. I remembered what the midwife had told Kotoko and I, and I suddenly had a bright idea.

"Hey, Kotoko," I prompted, stopping in my tracks. She took a step behind me and then planted her feet still on the ground, caught off guard that I had stopped walking. Instead of saying something, she pouted again and looked up at me with wide eyes, waiting for me to say something.

"Want to get some socks?" I asked her, searching for any kind of reaction in her huge gaze.

"Heh?" She breathed, pursing her lips even more. I already knew the answer would be yes, so I sighed and kept walking towards the entrance of the tiny store. Before long, I heard the squeaking of her shoes echo throughout the waiting room as she caught up to me.

* * *

NAOKI'S POV

"Ahhhh! Look, look, Irie-kun!" Kotoko squealed, bouncing up and down on her feet as she pointed to a pair of pink socks with strawberries printed all over them, hanging from the wall. "Kawaii, ne?!"

"Ah," I agreed, but was quickly cut off.

"Ohhhhhh!" she screamed in surprise at what I could only assume was her next discovery. "Look at these ones, Irie-kun! These are cute, too!" She ran from my side to the opposite wall, where another pair of socks in a floral pink pattern had caught her attention. The older woman running the cash register at the back of the store stared at Kotoko with a disapproving look, and I suddenly was aware of Kotoko's loudness.

"Oi, Kotoko, calm down," I chided her as I grabbed the strawberry socks down from their hook on the wall, and flipped them over to read the price tag.

"These too, Irie-kun! Ahhhh, and they're so soft!" She ripped a pair of light blue, lace-fringed socks down from the shelf and balled up her fist, giggling uncontrollably with excitement.

As I walked over to the floral pink socks and pulled those down too, I noticed a matching pair hanging next to them. They were so tiny that I could've fit one of them on two fingers.

I couldn't help the smile that spread across my face.


	3. Chapter 3

KOTOKO'S POV

The entire walk home from the train station, Irie-kun was silent. Exciting thoughts filled my head, desperate to be heard. But every time I looked up at him and smiled, he just kept staring straight ahead without a single reaction. His weird silence discouraged me. I was used to Irie-kun being so quiet when he was thinking about something, but not for this long. Was he not happy about the baby? No... that couldn't be it, he had been so excited earlier. He even told me that he loved me.

I smiled at the memory in pure bliss, but then suddenly realized how tired I was. My feet were so sore. He must have been tired too... that's probably why he was so quiet. Too tired to talk. Yes... that must have been it.

Eventually as we kept walking I gave up on trying to grab his attention and instead decided to pull each of my new pairs of socks out of the cute little bag in my hand, squealing internally at how adorable they all were. I couldn't wait to get home and try them all on!

 _'I'll put on a sock fashion show for Okaa-san. Eeee~! I can't wait!'_

* * *

KOTOKO'S POV

Finally, we stepped through the gate to our driveway. The sight of home had never been so beautiful... I felt like I was going to topple over.

Right as we had made our way to the front steps, I was slammed to a stop by Irie-kun's hand.

"Heh?" I breathed as all of the air in my lungs was nearly pushed out of me. Why were we stopping? I turned to ask him, but before I could say anything he grabbed my hand tightly in his warm grasp. My heart skipped a beat. He looked down at my hand in his, then flicked his gaze upwards to meet mine.

"Stairs." He said simply. Without another word, he stepped up to the front door, and I had no choice but to be pulled along. Hadn't the midwife only meant to be careful when going... _down_ the stairs? Irie-kun didn't normally look out for me like this. I felt a girly happiness as my heart fluttered, but I was worried that he was overthinking it and stressing himself out. We were only going up a couple of steps!

As Irie-kun reached out with his other hand to open the door, I was sure I was going to explode with relief.

 _'Finally...'_

"We're home..." Irie-kun started, his voice trailing off as he pulled the door open. My eyes widened at the group of familiar, smiling faces that greeted us.

Okaa-san... Yuuki... Dad, and Otou-san?!

"OMEDETOU!" Everyone yelled in unison. Suddenly, I flinched at the sound of four deafening pops, and Irie-kun and I were covered in a colorful eruption of confetti and streamers. I stood there in shock, and a piece of confetti fell into my mouth with my jaw unhinged. Irie-kun sighed and started to pull the pieces off of himself.

"Kotoko-chan! Is it true?!" Okaa-san squealed in excitement as she rushed to me. She grabbed me firmly on the sides of both of my arms and stared at me with her eyes wider than I'd ever seen before. I felt kind of scared. "Are we finally getting our grandchild?!" She shook me a little bit. Her excitement finally got through to me, and I pulled myself out of the surprised corner of my mind. I sighed happily and smiled at her, then I looked past her and caught a glimpse of everyone else for the first time, now that the confetti had cleared. Otou-san's mouth was wide open with his hands pulled up to his face in anticipation. Dad's eyes were as huge as tennis balls, and I noticed that it looked like he was tearing up. Yuuki's mouth was pressed into a tight line. I met Okaa-san's wide gaze again and let my head hang to the side. I didn't want to tell her that she was grabbing me too tightly, so I pulled her hands away from my arms and held them with both of my own instead. I smiled again, and took a deep breath.

"It's true," I announced bashfully, and looked down at the floor.

Everyone was silent. Then, all at once, they exploded.

"Ahhhhhh!" Okaa-san screamed and started jumping up and down, squeezing my hands tight. Her excitement was extremely infectious and I could feel my heart soar. I squealed along with her. "Oh, Kotoko-chan!" The wind was knocked out of me as I crashed into her forceful hug. _Oh, Okaa-san!_ I hugged her back tightly and giggled. "I'm so happy this day has finally come!" She exclaimed in my ear. Yuuki stood with his mouth open in absolute shock. I thought it was funny to see him with nothing to say, especially since he was always the one making comments. Dad and Otou-san were chuckling and patting each other harshly on the back, repeating the word "grandpa" over and over in absolute giddiness.

 _'I'm so glad... everyone is so happy! My stomach is twisting like crazy. This is all just so exciting!'_

"Come, Kotoko-chan! Come, Onii-chan! We must celebrate the new _babbbyyyy_ ~!" Okaa-san sang, suddenly pulling away from me and dragging me towards the family room. Celebrate? With Oba-sama that usually meant a party, with lots of drinks... and food! Despite the fact that my arm was being lovingly pulled out of its socket, I was eager to see what she had waiting for us in the family room.

"The new baby!" Otou-san repeated, following behind us with his arm around Dad. It felt like I was getting drunk off of everyone's happiness, and my own. I was so excited, and even though my belly hadn't even grown at all yet, I already wanted the baby to be here. We had many months to go before I'd actually have the baby, but everyone was so ecstatic that it made me anxious to see its adorable little face. It reminded me of Christmas with my Dad when I was younger, and how impatient I would be to see what Santa-san had left me while we were at the restaurant all night. Except this time, I thought, it was like a different kind of present.

"Ohhhhhh!" I exclaimed. My mind was wiped completely blank in awe as Okaa-san pulled me into the family room. Sparkly garlands, streamers and paper decorations were carefully placed all over the room; over the archway to the hallway, along the wall, from the ceiling... and on the ceiling fan? Okaa-san...

A giggle bubbled through my nose. All of this, just for me... I felt like a celebrity. As I admired the entire room, I nearly stopped breathing when I noticed the huge banner that took up most of the wall behind the couch.

"CONGRATULATIONS, NAOKI AND KOTOKO!" Was written across the top with glitter paint. Below it was a drawing of Irie-kun and I hugging with what looked like a little baby between us, in our noodle arms. It was surrounded by hundreds of red, sparkly hearts. "WELCOME, BABY IRIE!" shouted at me from the bottom of the poster. I whipped my arm out and pointed to it.

"It's so embarrassing... I love it!" I squealed in my own cloud of ecstasy, and clasped my hands together over my chest. "Arigato!" I exclaimed to Okaa-san, who placed her hands over mine and smiled with delight.

"I'm so glad you like it, Kotoko-chan!" She nodded, almost looking like she was about to cry out of pure joy. I nodded, too. If Okaa-san started bawling... I just knew the sight would make me cry with her. To my relief, Okaa-san started giggling happily instead, surprising me. I felt so relieved at her outburst, and excitement sparked in my stomach again. I happily let myself squeal and laugh along with her.

"Sheesh, you really jumped the gun," Irie-kun announced as he stepped into the room behind Otou-san, Dad, and Yuuki. "What if Kotoko wasn't pregnant?"

Okaa-san's laugh abruptly stopped. She froze with my hands still in hers, and whipped around to face Irie-kun.

"Don't spoil the mood, Onii-chan!" She whined at him. "Besides... you were so confident that Kotoko was pregnant. I just knew that it had to be a baby this time." She stared blissfully up at the ceiling and sighed, then turned back around to me. Her quickness amazed me. "Ne, Kotoko-chan?!" She shook my hands lovingly, and It felt like my heart was going to burst.

"Hai!" I breathed, nodding again. As I started squealing again, pushing Irie-kun's negative comment to the back of my thoughts. In our giddy, girly fit of happiness, I could see Irie-kun roll his eyes and lean against the door frame with his arms across his chest. Seeing him so unexcited... it just didn't sit right with me. Out of nowhere, I breathed in a heavenly smell. Something steamed... and sweets. Ding.

Food radar: activated.

"What's that smell?" I asked Oba-sama as I scrunched up my nose and sniffed deeply. I twisted my head to the left, then to the right, but there was no food in sight. It had to be in this room, my nose was telling me so. I turned all the way around, and sure enough: there it was.

"Ahhhhhh!" I cried out in excitement, ripping myself away from Okaa-san and quickly kneeling down so I could get a better look at the coffee table. "Look, Irie-kun, look!"

It was totally covered in an arrangement of food from Dad's restaurant; Perfectly laid out platters. It was the most beautiful sight I'd ever seen. In the middle of it all was a white cake with strawberries so red and perfect they seemed to call out my name, begging to be shoved into my mouth. I felt the corners of my lips moisten with drool; A waterfall had been set off in my mouth like a broken dam, and my taste buds tingled. I gulped.

Araki-sensei's voice echoed through my mind. _"...pregnancy cravings..."_

So, this was what it felt like? My stomach was going to turn itself inside out. My hands seemed to be magnetically attracted to the food, and I was dying to eat anything. And everything. My mind was completely fixated on the platters of sashimi, like a veil of food and smells had been placed over my other senses. I knew I couldn't wait much longer.

 _'Hold on, must... hold... on..!'_

"A congratulatory feast, for the baby!" I heard Dad announce from somewhere behind me. To be honest I didn't even care if he was behind me, next to me or in front of me; The smell was all I could focus on. What was I going to grab first? The daikon... the sushi balls?

As I quickly reached for a plate and some chopsticks, Okaa-san's voice pierced through the haze. "That's right! I gave Shigeo some small suggestions... having had two babies myself, I knew exactly what you'd be craving! Ahahaha~!"

 _'Okaa-san... your intuition couldn't have been more perfect!"_

As soon as I heard Okaa-san ask everyone to sit, I flung myself onto the closest spot on the couch and started putting everything on my plate. Even the foods I knew I didn't like looked so mouth-wateringly good to me that I couldn't resist the urge to grab one of each.

* * *

NAOKI'S POV

As the party dragged on and the afternoon outside turned into night, I found myself unable to focus. Like every other family party, everyone was enjoying themselves and celebrating loud enough to make the entire neighborhood go deaf.

But I was completely and utterly alone in my thoughts.

I couldn't stop my brain from regurgitating the memory over and over, couldn't think about anything other than those sickening words. At the clinic, just as Kotoko and I had started to leave the midwife had caught me at the door and pulled me aside.

 _"Irie-san, there's still something that you need to know about your wife," the midwife said to me dully. I wasn't sure how I felt about this... it didn't sound good. "However, I think it's best you keep this to yourself until you feel that she deserves to know. It will only cause her stress which could endanger her and the baby."_

 _"I understand," I said cooly. My stomach churned with a mixture of feelings I couldn't identify._

 _"Your wife... she's a very small young woman."_

 _This didn't surprise me. But for once in my life, I had no idea where the conversation was going._

 _"Yes. I know."_

 _"Right now, she's completely healthy. Her heart is strong and she shows no signs of any condition. But..."_

 _But... what? I thought. That single, stupid word sat in my stomach like lead. My heart was pounding, adrenaline sweeping through my veins._

 _She swallowed. Harsh lines appeared on her forehead as she pushed her brows together. I fought the urge to shake her senseless; To make her spit it out._

 _"There are a few complications that I expect will become noticeable as she gets further and further along." She said to me in a low voice. I knew she was doing it so Kotoko wouldn't hear. This realization made me feel sick to my stomach._

 _"Firstly, there is the problem of your wife's size. Her hips are not very wide at all. As the baby grows larger, it will literally push her hip bones apart, or at least try to. Unfortunately, she will be in a lot of pain once the child grows past the 4th month. Whether the pain will be bearable enough for her or excruciating... I really can't say."_

 _I froze. All at once, my thoughts left me. Never had I even gave Kotoko's size a second thought when it came to her being pregnant, but here I was, being told that she was going to break from the inside out._

 _And that wasn't even the end of what she wanted to tell me. I felt like I was going to vomit._

 _"As I said, nothing is wrong with her heart. But... it's only used to pumping for one, small person. Once the baby is large enough, it will be working twice as hard, and I'm afraid that this will be a more concerning problem. If it's true, she'll become more weak as the baby grows, and it's possible that... that..."_

 _That what? A small voice rang out in my head. I was in denial, yet I already knew the answer._

 _The midwife breathed in deeply, as though she were getting ready to tell a child something disappointing. "There's a possibility her heart might give out when it comes time to give birth."_

Already I was starting to feel sick again. I stared down at my plate in hopes of driving my thoughts away from the painful memory. I had yet to put anything on it.

It was too late for that, anyway. Kotoko had practically inhaled all of the food. Surely, she was going to give herself a stomach ache tonight. That combined with the prospect of morning sickness... it didn't bode well.

I wondered if we had any medicine I could give her once the three slices of cake finally hit her, but sure enough it wasn't long until my mother elbowed her way into my concentration.

"Onii-chan, you haven't even touched the food!" She said to me, scandalized. I looked up to see her fed up expression only to find the entire family staring at me like a circus animal.

Just great.

"I'm not very hungry. It was a long day at work yesterday, so I'm exhausted." I lied quickly. Tense knots from the memory pressed into my back and shoulders, so I leaned back into the couch and crossed my arms to try get more comfortable. Everyone nodded, obviously believing my cliche excuse, but as if to annoy me as much as possible they didn't stop staring at me. The hungry Kotoko scraped all of her uneaten food onto my plate with her chopsticks. Even in the midst of her ravenous eating spree, I was still her number one concern. She only managed to make me feel more sick, this time with guilt.

"Here, Irie-kun, you haven't eaten anything since last night," Kotoko said to me, concern weighing down her voice. "I know you're tired, but this will help you get your strength back."

Without thinking, I looked at her face, still sparkling with cheerfulness. I immediately regretted it.

Just as soon as I'd thought I'd finally pulled myself away from the sickening memory, I was catapulted back to the thoughts I'd had when I'd stood frozen in the clinic office. Chills shot up my spine.

 _"Her heart might give out when it comes time to give birth."_

I'd done this to her. I'd gotten her pregnant, and now _she_ was going to pay for it. Kotoko was going to have my baby, give everyone the grandkid they'd always not-so-subtly hinted that they wanted so badly. And in return, what was I giving her? A slow, painful death, probably.

And I was lying to her about it. I was hiding it from her like it was no big deal. And she was the one who was going to get hurt, not me. I could just stand back and watch as Kotoko nearly killed herself trying to have my child.

A headache surfaced, pounding in the center of my forehead. I clenched my jaw as my heart beat faster and faster.

Finally, the puzzle clicked into place as I could identify the horrible stew of feelings brewing inside me.

I was disgusted with myself. Was this what it felt like? Guilt eating you from the inside out?

And what if Kotoko really did die? I wouldn't be able to live with myself. I'd carry the weight of her death on my shoulders the rest of my life. And I didn't even want to imagine how devastated my family would be.

I probably wouldn't even be able to stand the kid, if it really did kill her. Then what would've been the point.

I tried to tell myself I was overthinking it, but I knew there was truth in there. It scared the hell out of me.

Calming myself down wouldn't be easy. But this was a party, after all, for me but mostly for Kotoko. This was an exciting day, the best day of our lives. Right?

I watched as Yuuki listened to Kotoko's stomach with my stethoscope. Unsurprisingly, her stomach grumbled loudly and the sound echoed off the walls. She turned bright red.

Suddenly, I was aware of how numb I was to this. _Really?_ I thought to myself. _Not even a chuckle._

Kotoko's stupid antics always made me laugh. But now, I felt nothing. I wondered how I'd let myself be so destroyed by something that might not even happen.

* * *

NAOKI'S POV

The party lasted deep into the night. After rounds of baby presents that left blue and pink wrapping paper littered around the room, my mother excused herself and came back with a tray full of empty glasses in one hand, and two pitchers in the other.

I watched as my mother handed a glass to everyone, including me. I got a whiff of alcohol as she set the pitchers onto the table. Shigeo and my father made sounds of approval. One pitcher was full with some kind of cocktail mix, and the other with apple juice. For once I was happy with a decision made by my mother. At least there was something for Kotoko and Yuuki to drink.

"I think cheers are in order!" My father hummed happily across the table. He reached over for the cocktail pitcher, but pulled back as someone else grabbed it.

Kotoko was pouring her glass to the brim with it, and my nostrils flared as the alcohol stung my nose. My temper reached a new limit.

I couldn't believe how angry I was. A hot rush surged through my body. Was she really that stupid? I just couldn't stay quiet.

"Don't drink that," I seethed angrily, unable to control the loudness of my voice. "How could you be so careless? You're responsible for another person now... have some consideration!"

As soon as I said it, I wished I hadn't. Even I knew how hurtful the words sounded, but it was too late.

My mom's knees loudly slammed into the table as she stood up. She furiously shouted "Onii-chan!", and stared at me with absolute shock, clearly at my outburst.

Little did she know I felt the same way.

Just for a moment, it was quiet. So silent that I could hear Kotoko swallow back a lump in her throat.

"Don't worry, Oba-sama. Irie-kun is right."

Her voice was so sad, so crumpled. A part of me was convinced that she really thought it was true.

She put on a reassuring smile for everyone for a few seconds, like she always did. But gravity seemed to drag it back down like a crumbling bridge. Her eyes stayed glued to the floor. The liveliness I'd come to know so well was replaced with disappointment. Disgust with herself.

"I forgot that drinking would be bad for the baby... it was so thoughtless of me." She tried to give another smile but it fizzled before it even became noticeable. "I could've really hurt it if Irie-kun hadn't caught me. My own carelessness scares me sometimes..."

Why couldn't I just have kept my temper in check? Sure, it would've been bad if Kotoko had drunk such a huge glass of alcohol, but I reminded myself that she only just found out she was pregnant earlier today. I was used to her being not so aware of herself most of the time, so why did I expect something different? Why did I let myself get so angry with her when I knew how hurt she'd be?

 _No, Kotoko_ , I wanted to yell out loud. Grab her by the arms and shake the life back into her.

For a moment, everyone was silent. Kotoko studied the floor. Just for a second I thought I saw a tear plop down onto the carpet, but it was so quick that I wondered if I'd imagined it.

"I'm feeling kind of tired, it's been such an eventful day..." Kotoko looked up at everyone and for the first time since I met her, it looked like it hurt her to smile.

"Arigato, everyone, for throwing us such a great party... but I think I'm going to bed."

 _Kotoko..._

"Oyasumi."

Everyone nodded encouragingly as she stood up and solemnly dragged her feet towards the hallway.

And with that, she left me alone again with my invading thoughts. Words I wanted to tell her but probably never would.

And words that I knew I would have to.


	4. Chapter 4

KOTOKO'S POV

Irie-kun's words played in my mind over and over, and I tried to hold in my tears. I was such a horrible person...

 _'Idiot!'_

Hopefully, nobody had seen me cry. It was so selfish of me to be feeling this way, since I knew deep down I deserved what I'd gotten. But it was too late to get rid of the lump in my throat. I had to find somewhere to hide... to let it out where nobody in the family would see me... not even Okaa-san.

As I rushed past our bedroom door, a wave of guilt washed over me. I felt bad lying to everyone, even though it was just a little fib. But I couldn't sleep now. I would sit outside, just for a little bit... then sneak back in before anyone saw.

Everyone was enjoying themselves, I reminded myself. At that I was given hope that nobody would come outside and find me. I dragged my feet to the backyard.

Shutting the door as quietly as possible behind me, I made my way to the spot I loved the most: the swinging bench. The wet grass tickled my ankles and completely soaked my slippers. They were my favorite, but I was too weak inside to care.

I plopped down onto the seat, and directly into an ice cold puddle. My butt was completely soaked. Even still, I just couldn't bring myself to move over.

Something inside me finally snapped. With everyone in such a good mood, I didn't want to bring them down. I had hid the awful, terrible feeling in my heart behind my best smile, and managed to slip away without worrying anyone. But now... I could let go. Let go...

With no stopping them, hot tears rolled down my cheeks, stinging my face. I tried as hard as I could to be quiet, I really did. But despite how determined I was to not have everyone hear me, I couldn't keep it inside. I breathed in deep, hoping to calm down. But the breath came in jagged as my chest tried to push it back out again. Soon I was hyperventilating and hiccuping out of control. My heart felt so heavy... I didn't know how much longer I would be able to take it. And on top of that, it was my own fault.

How could I have been so careless?! Just because I was only a few weeks pregnant didn't make having a drink okay... yet why did I convince myself it was? I was weak to let myself get swept up in the party...and the food... and everyone having fun.. to let myself pour such a big glass and tell myself it would be fine...

And in front of everyone, too. They were all looking up to me, admiring me now that I was pregnant... and the first thing I went and did was nearly get myself drunk and endanger the baby.

 _I guess I really am just stupid,_ a defeated voice said in the back of my head, barely loud enough to hear over all of the other horrible thoughts. I could feel everything inside me be erased like a chalkboard, but that one thought stayed in its place.

 _'I might be stupid... but that's no excuse for putting the baby's life in danger.'_ I quickly touched my stomach. Sparks of shock shot through my fingertips and through my body. What did I feel just now? Something was down there that I wasn't used to. It wasn't really all that noticeable, but something did feel different. My heart did a flip, and I pressed harder.

There, I could feel it: a little pouch, raised just slightly higher than how my belly usually was. It wasn't a huge difference, but it sent my emotions every which way.

This really was real.

I started to cry again, harder than before. I watched as my tears mixed with the puddle below me. The grip I had on my shirt tightened and I desperately looked up at the sky.

 _'I'm already a failure as a mom.'_

I don't know how long I sat there and cried, hopeless. My eyes stung, tears poured out of me and I cried out between gasps until I was empty. Until there was no fight in me anymore.

The edge of the bench dug into my neck, but I was okay with it. The night sky was just so wide, spreading out above me like it could go on forever. Stars twinkled down at me, winking. My mind was white fuzz as I drunk in the pretty view. It calmed me down. My tears ran dry and I could breathe normally again. I felt pathetic... but I also felt... good. It felt good not to think about anything else, to just stare up at the sky.

 _Such a beautiful night sky,_ I thought to myself.

I wished that Irie-kun was beside me, wished that we could see the same sky together.

But now... now he probably hated me... didn't he?

I looked down at the moonlit grass, feeling the lump being pushed back up into my throat.

 _'...What do I do now?'_

* * *

NAOKI'S POV

After Kotoko left, she took the liveliness with her. The tension that ensued could've been cut with a knife.

My father sensed this and raised his glass in a toast to revive the mood. Shigeo happily joined in, but my mother refused to come out of her vexed stupor. She held her drink tightly in her hand and wore a worried expression on her face. Clearly, she was debating whether or not to go after Kotoko.

On the other hand, Shigeo and my father were trying to enjoy themselves. A desperate look was exchanged and they laughed together, ignoring the failed toast. My mother took exaggerated sips of the cocktail she'd made and kept peering at me over the ridiculously large glass.

Yuuki couldn't stop himself from staring at me, either. When I caught him, his face was surprised, like he had expected me not to notice. How could anyone possibly be oblivious to being stared at like this? He stuffed his face with as much food as he could fit, excused himself and escaped to his room.

What had started out as a party for Kotoko and I was turning out to be a funeral. A raging fire of a headache consumed me, and it was only getting worse every second I sat there on the couch. Being subjected to everyone's gaze, I felt suffocated, weighed down.

Not being able to take it anymore, I stood to my feet and headed for the hallway.

For a moment, I paused at our bedroom door. But Kotoko was not to be heard. Not even a single snore. Could she still be awake? Even though I'd spent nearly half an hour preparing myself for her reaction to the midwife's news, I hesitated. The few steps between me and the door boiled down to one question: would Kotoko be able to take it? Or should I keep it from her so she could discover the repercussions of the pregnancy herself?

Our argument was still fresh in my mind.

No, it could wait until tomorrow. One look at Kotoko after I'd scolded her had told me how hurt she already was. Dropping a bomb like this on her now would just be too much for her to handle. I didn't want to hurt her any more, especially with her condition.

Temptation to open the door and see her ate at me. Before I could give in, I was quick to turn the other direction and head for the back door.

I had to get some fresh air and clear my head.

* * *

NAOKI'S POV

I stepped out into the backyard, and froze at what I saw.

Or rather, who I saw.

In the darkness I could just make out the top of Kotoko's head, peeking over the top of our swing. Ice pulsed through my body.

For a moment, I hesitated. Unsure of whether to head back inside and leave her alone or finally spill what I'd been withholding from her, I clenched my fists. My fingernails dug deep into the palms of my hands.

The memory from earlier today reared its ugly head in a hot flash:

 _"...it's best you keep this to yourself until you feel that she deserves to know. It will only cause her stress which could endanger her and the baby."_

Kotoko sighed, and tilted her head back against the bench. The rosy tip of her nose glinted in the moonlight as she stared up at the sky.

 _"...her heart might give out when it comes time to give birth."_

"Kotoko, what are you doing out here?" I took a few steps towards her.

Her head jolted to the left in surprise. She sniffed in hard and wiped some snot away with the back of her arm.

 _'Was she just crying?'_

Of course she was. Why wouldn't she be? I knew all too well that it wasn't the first time I'd made her cry.

Now that I could finally see her, I paused again. She was sitting in a puddle, for one thing. Red, angry trails of tears marked her swollen face. The collar of her pink sweater was soaked, probably ruined. A nervous expression crossed her face as she acknowledged me.

"Ah, Irie-kun..." she said. Her voice broke, betraying her sadness. No matter how prepared I was to see her reaction, I always dreaded seeing her like this. To make matters worse, she couldn't even look at me. I wore an expressionless mask on my face.

"You're going to catch a cold," I said.

Silence.

Biting chills from the November air clawed at me, sending shivers up my spine.

"Weren't you going to bed?"

For some reason this caught her attention, like she remembered something important. Hopefully going inside and getting out of this depressing cold.

"Ah, mm." She said. "I couldn't sleep, so I came out to get some fresh air."

A lie, obviously. Whenever she did this to try and make me feel better, I always saw right through it. With Kotoko's face a living, breathing open book, I failed to understand how she thought I would buy it. I knew she had come out here to be alone. To cry in seclusion while we all had a grand drunk time inside, most likely.

This was getting us nowhere, fast.

"Actually, I was just heading back inside." Finally, she made eye contact. She tried to give me a reassuring grin, but her face quickly fell. Behind her wide eyes resided a heart-rending sadness.

"Gomen, Irie-kun." Water dripped from her soppy skirt onto the bench as she stood to leave. "For worrying you, and-"

I grabbed her by the arm. "No, Kotoko." With a surprised expression she looked up at me. For a moment, I forgot myself. I savored the last few seconds of her like this. Before I told her what I knew would absolutely crush her spirit for months. But, my decision was made.

"Sit. There's something I need to tell you."

To my surprise, she plopped back into the puddle without hesitation. Even with her curious eyes trained on me, I was able to gather my thoughts. I sat down next to her. I almost felt guilty when I found my spot to be completely dry.

Unwilling to break her sudden change in mood, I searched her face for a brief instant. She was still swollen, yet the sadness that had radiated from her was replaced by a perplexed stare. If I wanted to say what had to be said, I couldn't watch her expression fall. I stared ahead into the uncertain blackness and prepared myself.

"When the midwife pulled me aside... she told me something and suggested I keep it from you, for your health." I told her.

"Mm."

"I figured you would find out on your own regardless of how well I kept it secret. If not from a doctor, then you would come to face it eventually..."

A small part of me wanted to stop. To be silent. But when I looked back at Kotoko... there she was, waiting.

"There's a possibility that there might be some complications with the pregnancy."

Her face completely drained of any emotion. No sadness, no curiosity. Nothing. In a zombie-like state she looked straight ahead.

"...complications?" Her voice was so small, so helpless.

Seeing her like this nearly made me reconsider what I was doing. Sugarcoating it just wasn't an option anymore, despite the fact that it would probably lesson the blow.

Detaching myself would have to suffice. If I didn't look at her, didn't dwell on her heartbreak... that was the only way I could do what had to be done. In the cold I felt like a stone. Unfeeling, unthinking. Removed.

"As the fetus grows... it may physically push your hips apart."

Silence. My mind remained clear as I searched the black night straight ahead.

"And it's possible you will experience heart problems before you give birth. Not quite as serious as my father's, but a similar condition."

Although my brain had shut off, the midwife's premonition still managed to puncture the silence like a knife.

"You might not survive the birth."

Since leaving the clinic this morning, those very words were trapped only in my mind. Like a broken record they had made themselves present again and again. This was the first time I was finally saying it out loud, to Kotoko no less.

In a sickening way I felt relief. The burden, finally, had been lifted from me. However, the feeling didn't last long.

Although I should've stopped myself, I finally looked down at Kotoko. Immediate regret swept through me at the sight.

Staring straight ahead, she wore a lifeless expression. One would've thought I'd just told her the entire family had died. Dullness clouded her gaze like a veil, blacking out their normal sparkle. The brightness that radiated from her had vanished into thin air.

For a long moment, she said nothing.

"I see," she said finally. Not even a single blink.

Suddenly, I had a thought. It bubbled to the surface before I could wonder if Kotoko would even consider it.

"You don't have to go through with the pregnancy. That's always an option."

After saying this, a fire was lit behind her eyes; That familiar blaze of determination.

"No..." She faced me, and her powerful gaze burned right through me. "No!"

"I don't want to give up on the baby. I couldn't do it!" She was shouting now. "If I have to be in pain, or risk losing my life, then I will endure it!"

"Kotoko-"

"This is our baby! I want to do all that I can do bring it into the world. Even if it means the worst!"

Now she had tears in her eyes, but they did nothing to douse the flame.

"Of course I want to meet it... but as long as it's born healthy, it doesn't matter. Even if I only get to see it for one second I will be happy."

"When I found out I was pregnant, I was the happiest person in the world today. For the first time in my life, I finally understand what it feels like to be somebody's mom. I know I can't cook, or clean all that well... I'll probably be far from the perfect mom. Or... if I'm not there at all... then I'd die happy knowing that at least the baby has such an amazing family..."

"Oi, Kotoko-"

"...I can assure you Irie-kun, this is something I really want to do!"

Kotoko stared up at me with such resolution, her fists clenched. Simply put, I was in awe.

Her determination, her selflessness in putting our future kid first... to want to achieve her goal even if it meant it was practically her dying wish. A quality I would never have.

She never ceased to amaze me.

"Alright," I told her. She lit up instantly. "Let's give it a try."

* * *

KOTOKO'S POV

After Irie-kun and I made our way back to the bedroom, I plopped onto the bed and took a deep breath.

So much had happened in just one day... but I never imagined it would be like this.

Irie-kun leaned coolly against the doorway.

"Kotoko, I'm going to take a bath. Go to sleep."

I nodded. "Mmm." He was being so gentle with me... but it wasn't making me feel any better, like it normally would. Watching him walk away, I sighed.

 _'Why can't I be happy?'_

I was the luckiest girl in the world. That's right, I was finally going to have a baby with Irie-kun...it was like my daydreams were coming true... Longingly, I stared at the doorway.

But with what Irie-kun had told me filling my head, I just felt exhausted, sad... and scared. My heart seemed to weigh a million tons.

Without thinking I grabbed my little Irie-kun from his usual spot on the bed. Pulling him tightly against my chest didn't help my mood, either. But fiddling with his little string arms and legs helped me find my focus.

 _'I'm so selfish. I should be happy for everyone... happy that the baby is healthy. I should just enjoy being pregnant while I'm not enduring any problems. But instead, I can't stop worrying about myself. What's wrong with me?'_

Defeated, I fell backwards into the lofty blankets and pillows.

Somewhere beyond the doorway, I could hear the quiet _splish_ and _splosh_ es of Irie-kun's bath. I breathed in deeply, and was met by the amazing smell of laundry detergent.

 _'Okaa-san must've washed the bed linens...'_

 _Splish._

 _Splosh._

Not wanting to think anymore, I slowly let my eyes close.

* * *

 **Hello, everyone!**

 **Right off the bat I just want to apologize for:**

 **1) This installment being later than usual. Things have gotten pretty stressful at my summer job, so naturally this throws a wrench in things. Particularly, me finding time to write. With that said, however, tomorrow is my last day before I'm granted a week off. Yay! So updates might be coming a bit faster... we shall see!**

 **2) This chapter is so unusually short, I know, I know. So far I have an entire outline written out for all of the chapters that are to come, and with what I have planned it just wouldn't have made sense to cram what I have in store at the end of this chapter just to add length. Trust me on this.**

 **Think of it like a cake. It's something that should be savored, not eaten in a few huge bites.**

 **(oh my god that was so cheesy but whatever. just pretend I didn't write that. )**

 **ANYWAYS, what I'm trying to get across here is that this'll hopefully be the only chapter that is this length. (or at least one of very few short ones.)**

 **With all that aside...**

 **THANK YOU to each and every one of you lovely people for your reviews. I can't even describe the smile that crosses my face when I read them.**

 **Love you guys.**

 **Oh, and, what did you think?**

 **Hope everyone in the states had an awesome 4th of July!**

 **-Rosie**


	5. Chapter 5

NAOKI'S POV

As I made my way back into the bedroom, I found that everyone had cleared out of the family room while I was in the bath. My mother had cleared all the food away and turned the lights off.

 _'I guess I took a longer bath than I thought.'_

I stopped for a moment to look around. Once my eyes had adjusted, I could finally see the room clearly.

The sight was depressing, really. All that remained to suggest there had even been a party was all of the decorations and balloons. Some loose garlands and streamers had detached from the ceiling and were strewn about the floor.

It was almost ironic how the sight seemed to reflect how I felt. Now that I'd finally told Kotoko, a part of our life together that was new and exciting had been left behind in the dark, too.

Some drops of water dripped from my wet hair and onto my neck; Small, icy drops that sent chills down my back as they rolled underneath my shirt.

My gaze found the poster my mother had drawn. The illustration of what was supposed to be of Kotoko and I with a baby in our arms was illuminated by the moonlight streaming in through the window.

I quickly realized that it wasn't just my dripping hair that was giving me the chills.

I picked up my feet and continued towards our bedroom. Crumpled garlands and other decorations kept getting caught on my legs, and their satisfying swishes echoed through the now empty room.

As I attempted to dry my hair with the towel I'd draped around my neck, I opened the door slowly and quietly. Light flooded through the crack and into the hallway, hurting my eyes. I winced.

Could she still be awake? God, even after I'd practically ordered her to go to sleep.

 _'Taku... she's going to be exhausted tomorrow.'_

But once I'd gotten the door wide open, my suspicions quickly evaporated.

Kotoko was lying in the middle of our bed. And she was deep in a sleep coma, no doubt. One second after hearing her light snoring and I knew she was out like a light. The little stuffed thing she'd made to look like me was no longer in its usual place behind her pillow. Instead, it was being crushed in her arms. I almost felt bad for it.

I made my way to her bedside, then stopped in my tracks. Just for a moment I studied her face.

For certain, she was dead to the world. But something was missing. Even in her sleep she always radiated cheer and liveliness... but that warmth of hers that I'd grown used to simply wasn't there. It was gone.

A dull pain throbbed in my head as I clenched my jaw. Kotoko's initial reaction had been exactly what I'd expected; Exactly what I'd prepared myself for. But after she'd been so passionate about going through with the pregnancy, I guess I'd let myself latch on to a shred of hope that she wasn't going to be devastated by what was only a possibility.

But now, even as she was practically in a coma, it was clear that even her spirit was reduced to nothing.

It would just be plain stupid of me to deny that I couldn't feel it.

Gently, I pulled the blankets out from under her legs. She mumbled something as I pulled them over and tucked them around her. No actual words, just talking in her sleep as usual. I don't know why, but something in my chest ached.

Once I was confident that she looked warm enough, I put the sopping towel on the bedside table for now and climbed in beside her. Quietly, I turned out the light.

With my eyes closed I tried to will myself to fall asleep. But it proved pointless. My mind was buzzing so much that I couldn't even focus on one coherent thought.

I sighed deeply and turned to my side to face Kotoko instead. Watching her sleep so peacefully like she always did never failed to make me drowsy. Her ability to sleep so easily was somewhat of a marvel to me; I almost envied her for it.

Unsurprisingly, her face was still expressionless. No blissfully unaware smile, nothing. Honestly, what had I been expecting?

After a few silent minutes of studying her flushed face and rising chest, I noticed something. Her eyebrows were slightly furrowed, in a troubled expression. Although I'd hoped she would catch a break from everything that had happened, it seemed that even in her sleep today's events still followed her.

I wouldn't settle for this. With only one professional opinion about the possible complications... it just wasn't enough. Why blindly rely on one person was beyond me, the more I thought about it. And a midwife, no less. She was merely a doctor's assistant who did a basic check-up with Kotoko. Easily, she could've been wrong, or just blowing a possibility way out of proportion.

I was quick to remind myself that she obviously had more knowledge about pregnancy than I did. But even still, this realization gave me a sliver of hope. A voice in the back of my head tried to convince me that it was a foolish, childish hope.

But as I struggled to fall asleep, I resolved to hold onto it tightly.

* * *

KOTOKO'S POV

I woke up with the bells of my alarm clock ringing in my ears. Irie-kun's spot was empty, but still warm.

 _'Ughhhhhh...'_

After I sat up slowly my hands fumbled to find it. My heart jumped a little when I nearly knocked it off the table, but I stopped myself just in time and grabbed it.

Weakly, I slapped the top and the ringing came to a stop. Finally... peace and quiet...

The tiny hands over the picture of Irie-kun and I told me it was 7:31. That meant it was time to get ready for work. And time to get up...

 _'UggghHHhhHHhhh...'_

Getting out of bed seemed impossible. I was certain I'd never felt this awful in my life. After such a long day yesterday, I was exhausted. My eyes and nose were sore and I had a headache from crying so hard. Why did I have a shift today...? Of all the days! Poor me...

But, work always meant a day with Irie-kun, seeing my friends and helping people. At the end of the day that was what always made me truly happy... so surely it would cheer me up, right? It just had to.

I weakly pumped my fist to try to energize myself. _'All right... let's do this...'_ A lame voice sighed in my head.

But nothing was working. No matter how hard I tried to think positively, Irie-kun's words from the night drowned out everything else.

With a heavy sigh I swung my legs over the side of the bed and stood. Onto something... squishy...?

"Heh?" I squeaked.

When I looked down, I could see that my foot had landed directly onto my mini Irie-kun.

 _'I guess he must've fallen over last night...'_ I thought, struggling to remember whether I'd fallen asleep holding him or not. It was all kinda fuzzy, and my throbbing headache was only making it harder to remember.

I stared down at him for a little bit. The more I looked at him, the more his little button eyes and noodle arms reminded me of a baby.

I quickly shook my head and pushed the thought away. After giving him a quick hug, I placed him in his normal spot behind my pillow.

After that, my mind was completely empty.

Like a zombie, I dressed myself in my uniform, managed to groggily get my hair into a braided bun, then dragged my feet through the family room.

When I finally made it to the kitchen, everyone looked up. Yuuki-kun was sitting at the table and shoving his face with an amazing stack of pancakes. My heart skipped a beat when I saw that Irie-kun was sitting right across from him, reading the newspaper.

My nose was still stuffed from last night, but I could've sworn I smelled something _really_ good...

"Ahhh! Kotoko-chan is awake!" Okaa-san beamed. When I turned to look, both her and Dad had four different pans cooking on the stove.

 _'I guess I didn't imagine it...'_ Suddenly, my mouth was watering like crazy. Though I quickly forgot my rumbling stomach when everyone turned around to look at me. Even Otou-san, who was fiddling with the juicer.

"Ohayou gozaimasu, everyone..."

I was smiling, but it just didn't feel right. It wasn't the kind of smile that made me feel happy inside, like usual.

Something inside me was just... out of place.

"Sit, sit, sit, Kotoko-chan! Your special breakfast is almost ready!" She shoved me along and pulled out a chair for me next to Irie-kun. I was glad to see Okaa-san in such a great mood... but again, it wasn't making me feel any better.

"Special breakfast?" I weakly pointed to myself. "For me?"

But Okaa-san was already making her way back to the stove, her cute strawberry hair-curlers bouncing further and further away from me.

"They've been cooking all morning," Yuuki said. "I don't get it, we just had tons of food last night."

"Shhhh! Yuuki!" I could hear Okaa-san cry out. With my head turned around I watched her and Dad run around the kitchen. I didn't know what to make of it... I was just so exhausted. Irie-kun was still fixated on his newspaper.

"Oh right, Kototo-chan! Papa's making special juice for you!" Okaa-san said.

"Special... juice...?"

 _'Oh my god... the last time Otou-san made juice it looked so much like blood that I passed out...'_

Suddenly, Otou-san shuffled over to me with a huge glass in his hand, humming something. I was relieved to see that this time, it was green. No blood.

 _'Wait, **green?** '_

"Here, Kotoko-chan!" Otou-san said proudly as he placed the juice in front of me with a satisfying _'clink!'._

"It's a special juice, full of vitamins. Ahhh... I remember when I used to make this for Mama. I made it every morning when she was pregnant with Naoki, and even Yuuki. That's probably why they're so smart!" He threw his head back and laughed so loudly that it made me jump in my seat. What did he put in this? Grass? Mud? Maybe it was best that I didn't know... The more I stared at the swamp green sludge, the more I was filled with dread.

"Ano... Otou-san? What's in this drink, exactly?"

"Ahh, well... there's seaweed, spinach, cabbage, okra... but not to worry, Kotoko-chan. I also added strawberries and some banana to make it sweet! Give it a try, hm?"

I nodded, and slowly brought the glass up to my mouth. I prayed that nobody would notice that my hands were shaking.

 _'Here I go...'_

After a small sip my taste buds exploded with the taste of super sweet fruit. Delicious~!

Then came the aftertaste... which was just... Oh my god. I couldn't even describe it. How was it even possible to make a drink that tasted like a lawn, dirt, and bitter leaves all at once?! I tried to swallow it, but I immediately gagged it back up. This was unbelievable...

"Well... what do you think, Kotoko-chan? Good, huh?" Otou-san slapped me on the shoulders, which thankfully made me swallow it by accident.

 _'Don't gasp for breath... don't gasp for breath...'_

"Mmm!" I nodded, and tried my best to give him a genuine smile. "It's good!"

I was mentally crossing my fingers, hoping that he would believe me. After he went through so much trouble to make it... I didn't want to hurt his feelings. Even if it did taste like he was trying to punish me.

"Ahhh! Good, good! I'll go put the rest in a travel mug so you can have some at your lunch break, ne? Feeding our grandson is a full time job, after all!"

Before I could say anything, Otou-san patted me so hard on the back that the drink almost came back up. Then he turned and went back to the juicer. Once I was sure he wouldn't see, I let my smile fall. Pretending to be happy wasn't making me any more joyful... it was just exhausting.

In the kitchen I could hear Okaa-san laugh. "You mean granddaughter, Papa! Kotoko's baby is going to be an adorable girl, just like her. Such a man's mistake... as a mother, I should know these things."

"No, no, no, Mama. The first grandchild _must_ be a boy. Who else is going to carry on the Irie name? Be Yuuki's successor someday?"

From the arguing to the pans sizzling... I tuned everything out. I just didn't have the strength to listen.

Still sleepy, I heaved out a huge sigh. For what seemed like a long time I stared down at the glass of green sludge.

 _'That's right... if I don't drink all of it, Otou-san will be really hurt, won't he.'_

I sighed again. There was no other way.

 _'Alright... you can do this...'_

As fast as I could I brought the glass up to my lips, and started chugging it all down in one go with my eyes shut tightly. Gulp after gulp after gulp. The taste was just so horrible... I didn't know if I could stand it much longer. My eyes started watering.

"Oi, don't force yourself," Irie-kun said. For the first time this morning he looked away from his newspaper.

It was too late to turn back now. After forcing the last two awful gulps down my throat I slammed the glass down onto the table. Finally... I could breathe again...

And when I opened my eyes, I could see again. But it wasn't a comforting sight.

Yuuki was staring at me with his mouth wide open from across the table.

"You're so weird..." He said finally.

I couldn't even be mad, let alone think of a comeback. I just stared at him blankly, giving up.

 _'What's wrong with me? Yuuki's teasing always riles me up so much...'_ I thought solemnly.

Really, I hated feeling like this. Physically and mentally, I just felt horrible... and wrong. I felt like a totally different person.

As I looked at Yuuki, Irie-kun's warning from last night slowly seeped back into my brain. There was no helping it... I was just too drained to push it away.

Soon, I couldn't think about anything else.

Suddenly, a steaming plate stuffed with different foods was set down in front of me. Snapping out of my own head, I turned to see Okaa-san, Otou-san and Dad all crouching around my chair.

"Hoh! Kotoko! You drank that entire thing already?" Dad exclaimed in my ear. "I guess she enjoyed it more than I thought she would, na, Iri-chan?" I watched as he crossed his arms and looked to Otou-san.

"I guess so!" He let out another hearty laugh that caught me by surprise and slapped Dad on the back.

"Here, Kotoko-chan!" Okaa-san said, placing two more small plates underneath me. "Your father and I have been hard at work. It's a hearty, traditional breakfast to start the day with lots of energy. For you... and the baby! So eat up, ne, Kotoko-chan!"

Dad pinched the bridge of his nose to wipe some tears away. "Another celebratory feast, for the baby."

When I breathed in deeply, the smell was pure heaven. For just a moment I could feel myself forgetting what I was just thinking about while my mouth watered.

Everything looked so good, too. The rolled egg omelette... the steamed rice... I quickly picked up my chopsticks and dove right in.

Everyone's eyes were glued to me as I picked up some of the perfect omelette and slowly brought it up to my mouth.

As if to embarrass me even more, my stomach rumbled so loud that it echoed off of the ceiling. I paused. The piece of omelette was hovering between me and the plate.

It wasn't just hunger that was clawing at my stomach. I could feel... something else, too. The feeling that I always got when I ate too much... except I hadn't eaten anything at all yet besides Otou-san's juice...

 _'What? This is really weird... I... I kinda feel sick...'_

All of a sudden, the food didn't look so good anymore. In fact, just looking at it was making me feel queasy. The smell that had driven me crazy a few seconds ago was now making me feel like I was going to throw up at any second.

Not knowing what to do, I set my chopsticks back down onto the plate. My appetite was totally gone.

"Kotoko-chan?" Okaa-san questioned.

Somehow, during this sudden wave of nausea I was able to find my voice.

"Arigato, Okaa-san, Otou-san... really. Everything looks amazing... but..."

Everyone was silent. I felt like I was going to cry and vomit all at once.

"Gomenasai. I'm suddenly just not hungry anymore... gomen..."

I quickly stood up from my chair. The smell was just too much to bear... As much as I hated horribly rejecting Dad and Okaa-san's hard work, I just couldn't bring myself to eat anything.

"I should be heading off. Arigato, everyone, really..."

As I left everyone behind to put on my shoes at the front door, Irie-kun's words slowly crept back into my mind again.

Each time I replayed my fate over and over... I felt the energy being sucked out of me.

* * *

NAOKI'S POV

As Kotoko and I headed for Tonan, bouts of chilly November air managed their way underneath my coat, slicing at me.

Prodding at me also was the unusual silence. It was almost painful. We had walked pretty far from the house, and still Kotoko had nothing to say. She wasn't annoyingly clinging onto me, or even walking beside me. She was just slightly behind me, her feet dragging behind her like they were weighing her down.

This kind of change in Kotoko had been exactly what I was expecting... I knew it all too well. But still, I hated it, and it ate at me more than she would ever know.

And this morning, she hadn't even eaten anything. Whether or not that was morning sickness... I was uncertain. I wouldn't be surprised if she was flat out too depressed to eat.

We had no sooner reached the stretch of cherry blossoms leading to the hospital when I took note of a woman who had stopped to gawk at us. Or rather, stare at Kotoko. Confusion hit me over the head. What possibly could've caught her attention was beyond me...

Suddenly, the woman kept walking, but her gaze remained on Kotoko. Just as she was about to pass us, she beamed.

"Congratulations! Please take care of yourself!"

With that, Kotoko stopped and smiled. But although the woman certainly didn't notice... something about the smile was wrong. Pained. It killed me to see her have to put in so much effort not to burden even a simple stranger. It made me wonder how long it would take for her to snap out of this... or if she ever would.

"Arigato gozaimasu," Kotoko said sweetly, and gave a little bow.

As I walked on and Kotoko followed, the realization quickly slapped me in the face. The pregnancy badge. My mother had haphazardly tied it onto the zipper of Kotoko's coat at the door on our way out... that woman must have noticed it.

"You must be glad." I said to her. "Someone finally acknowledged you as a mother."

Kotoko's face lit up for a second, obviously surprised that I'd finally spoken up. But like a struck match, it was a small burst that quickly died down.

"Ah... mm."

She stopped for a second, stared down at the sidewalk and then kept going.

God... she looked exhausted.

It didn't sit right with me. The way she was acting... so lifeless... it was completely unlike her. She was a shell of herself. Usually her unwavering cheeriness never failed to get on my nerves at least once a day, but this was far worse.

And the fact that she didn't seem the least bit excited by that woman... it was almost painful to watch.

That tiny shred of hope emerged from a crevice in my mind. If my doubts about Kotoko's condition were true...

I could only wait and see.

* * *

NAOKI'S POV

After reaching Tonan's hospital, we both checked in for another day of work.

Thankfully, I didn't have any surgeries planned for today. Yet. I had an hour before my first patient was scheduled to see me.

As much as I purposefully avoided him unless absolutely necessary... I had to find Nishigaki. He was the only other doctor in our division who had experience with pregnancy.

Without much effort I'd managed to convince Kotoko to come with me. To my surprise, she wasn't even curious as to why or where we were going. She simply followed quietly behind me.

 _'It's like she's already dead.'_

The thought caught me completely off guard. I could feel my stomach drop.

Quickly, I shoved it deep into the back of my mind.

While I navigated the hallways with Kotoko trailing behind, I searched for Nishigaki.

Four hallways and the lunch room later, my medical adviser finally made an appearance.

He rounded the corner, stopping when we made eye contact.

"Ah, ohayo, Irie-sensei," he said smugly. Instantly, his gaze was fixated on Kotoko.

He stepped forward, leaning into her. "And ohayo to you, Kotoko-chan."

My blood was boiling. _'For God's sake...'_

"So early in the morning... yet even without beauty sleep you look as cute as ever."

He stared to step even closer to her. Too close. Without thinking, I stuck my foot out ever so slightly.

Nishigaki tripped, and eventually stumbled backwards as he tried to catch his balance.

This was quickly becoming a waste of time. I breathed in, "Nishigaki-sensei-"

"Irie-sensei, what could you possibly be doing in the hallways that's more important than giving Egami-san his morning shot in room 254?" Embarrassed, he was clearly trying to gain the upper-hand. "You know, interns have to earn the right to dilly-dally."

"I've come to ask for a favor," I interrupted. Hopefully he hadn't noticed the hint of desperation in my voice.

"A favor?" He wore a smug grin, "I see. So, you've finally realized that even you need my help once in awhile?"

I knew he was teasing, but it annoyed me to no end. "I'm asking..." For a split second, I hesitated. "For Kotoko."

"Irie... kun...?" Kotoko piped up behind me.

At this, Nishigaki's interest was piqued. A more serious expression crossed his face. He crossed his arms thoughtfully, looking from Kotoko to me. Finally, he spoke.

"You've got my attention. What is it?"

After leading them into an empty waiting room, I lowered my voice and explained myself.

Kotoko's pregnancy. The midwife's suspicions about potential complications. I knew quite well that Nishigaki had worked in a maternity ward for three years before transferring to our division. Being the only colleague I knew well enough with experience with these kinds of things... I knew it was right to entrust him with this.

To my surprise he listened intently, without any stupid remarks.

"The midwife was only assuming off of a quick checkup she did with Kotoko... I believe that if a more thorough examination is done then we might come to find that she was wrong."

Silence. Nishigaki leaned against the wall, mulling over everything I'd told him.

"I believe so, too," he finally replied. "Midwifes aren't to be trusted... they're the most superstitious women you'll ever meet."

 _'Get to the point. Will you do it, or not?'_ But I remained silent.

"As disappointed as I am that you've decided to have _his_ child... I'll help you. Not to worry, Kotoko-chan."

"You two, come with me into my office."

* * *

KOTOKO'S POV

As I sat there on the patient's bench, my gaze felt too heavy to pick off of the floor.

Irie-kun and Nishigaki-sensei kept talking back and forth... but their words ran together like mush in my brain. Paying attention to the floor was easier... I didn't have to think.

Really, I was trying to think of anything but the possibility that, just maybe, the midwife was wrong. I knew in my heart if I let myself get my hopes up, even just a little bit... then I would feel more heartbroken than I already did if Irie-kun wasn't right.

For once, I really understood how all of my patients felt. Nishigaki-sensei was poking and prodding me all over... checking my blood pressure, pressing down on my stomach, even measuring my hips... it was all making my head spin. Every encounter I'd ever had with him immediately gave me the chills. He was such a player... even though I'd made it perfectly clear that I was married to Irie-kun.

But now... I could feel myself trusting him. So far he hadn't even said a word to me, and he was so focused on what he was doing that I might as well have not even existed.

Irie-kun was standing in the corner of the office, watching me intently. His expression was so serious... but somehow, it calmed me down if only a little bit.

 _'You can do this, Kotoko.'_ I assured myself. _'As long as the baby is healthy... that's all that matters.'_

But if I could stay healthy enough to meet the baby, too...

 _'No.'_ I quickly dismissed the thought. I couldn't think about that... not now. No matter if the midwife was wrong or right, I couldn't be selfish. I had to be strong.

Even still, the suspense was making me feel weaker by the second.

Twenty painful minutes ticked by on the clock above the door. Nishigaki-sensei and Irie-kun's silence was making me uneasy. I didn't know if I could sit through this for much longer...

A shock of pain, and blood drawn from my arm. Thankfully I'd managed to hold back from crying out... and stop myself from looking down.

Don't faint... you're okay...

 _'Please hurry, Nishigaki-sensei...'_

But instead, he stood up.

 _'No...'_

Suddenly, he patted my head. "I need to run this sample through. It shouldn't take more than a few minutes. So wait for me, na, Kotoko-chan?"

With a wink, he left the room.

 _'Oh my god! Even a pregnant woman isn't safe...'_

I shut my eyes tightly and leaned my head back against the wall. All of the wind drained out of me as I heaved out a long sigh.

When I finally opened my eyes again, Irie-kun's gaze was already locked with mine.

"Hang in there, Kotoko."

* * *

KOTOKO'S POV

Only five minutes passed, but they were absolutely pitiful. Five minutes had never felt longer in my whole entire life.

Finally, Nishigaki-sensei returned through the sliding door. Irie-kun's eyes widened, just a little bit.

After gently closing the door behind him, he grabbed his clipboard and scribbled down one last thing.

My heart was pounding like wild. For the first time all day, I actually felt energized.

I was completely on edge.

Nishigaki-sensei turned to face Irie-kun, his face completely blank.

"Well, Irie-sensei..."

Numbness crept over me, my heart forcing itself into my throat.

Silence.

Then, he adjusted his glasses. His face broke into a smirk.

"As always, you're spot on."

My jaw unhinged itself.

 _'Does he mean...?!'_

"Kotoko's heart is completely healthy. Honestly... the whole heart superstition during pregnancy is such an old midwives' tale."

Even Irie-kun couldn't contain his surprise. His mouth was slightly agape.

"With any pregnancy, the heart is taxed near and during childbirth. Your wife may be small, but she's got an ironclad spirit. I can assure you Kotoko-chan will make it through."

I watched in shock as Nishigaki-sensei slapped Irie-kun heartily on the arm.

"Unfortunately with her adorable figure comes her petite hips. I can guarantee that as the little tyke grows, there'll be some pushing against the bones there, but that's not uncommon at all. The discomfort can easily be controlled with some pain medication."

For a moment, Irie-kun was silent.

"I see..." He said finally.

 _'...make it through...'_

 _'...easily controlled...'_

My heart slammed against my chest faster and faster as the reality slowly settled in.

I was really going to be fine... have a _normal_ pregnancy...

The teeny, tiny pea that was in my stomach... I could watch it grow without having to worry... without being in pain...

I would live to see it. Our baby.

An unstoppable lump was growing in my throat, fast.

"You're going to be fine, Kotoko-chan. Don't worry yourself. It's bad for the little guy."

I nodded quickly, and a stray tear fell loose. I sniffed in so hard that it hurt, trying to stop myself from blubbering in front of Nishigaki-sensei...

 _'Don't cry...!'_

I watched as Irie-kun bowed deeply. "Sensei, Arigato gozaimasu,"

Nishigaki-sensei's eyes shifted from Irie-kun to me, then back again. I sniffed in again, feeling the wave coming on.

"I'll leave you two alone. But don't waste too much time, Irie-sensei. Egami-san is still waiting in room 254."

"...Hai."

And with another smile, he slid the door open and closed him behind it. But behind my tears, everything was a blur.

All of the strings that had been holding me together... all at once, I felt them snap inside of me.

"Irie-kun!" I cried out. Without thinking I ran to him and nearly tripped over my shoe. But I didn't care anymore.

When I slammed into his hug, I finally let go. Hot tears stung my cheeks and made my spot against Irie-kun's coat wetter by the minute.

"I'm so glad..." I clung onto him, feeling like I would collapse if I didn't. "I'm so glad, Irie-kun!"

I'm not sure how long I stayed like that. Time... which had been passing so painfully slow... had finally come to a stop in Irie-kun's arms.

I cried until there was nothing left in me.

Nothing but pure happiness.

* * *

 ** _Hello_ , everyone! Long time no see.**

 **I am SOOOOOOOOOOOO unconditionally, utterly and completely sorry!**

 **Right after I announced my week off from work... I go and take 11 days to update. I'm so true to my word, I know. (sarcasm)**

 **In all actuality, this chapter would've been finished _ages_ ago.**

 **But unfortunately, sometimes, life happens.**

 **Very sadly, one of our family members passed away overseas. For obvious (privacy) reasons, I'm not going to go into the details.**

 **So to make a long story short, I've actually been in _Scotland_ for the past 6 days. **

**I flew in just a few hours ago, but here I am. Jet lagged beyond words and staying up through the wee hours of the morning to (finally) get this one out to you guys.**

 **A million thank yous to everyone for waiting so patiently. (And as always, everyone who took the time to write such incredible reviews. Love you all!.)**

 **I hope you understand that, because of the sudden circumstances, this long of a delay will not happen again any time soon.**

 **But more importantly, I hope you enjoyed!**

 **I know, I'm rambling. It's 4:14 am right now, I think sleep deprivation is getting to me.**

 **What did you guys think of this chapter?**

 **Leave me some love!**

 **-Rosie**


	6. Chapter 6

NAOKI'S POV

Kotoko was going to be fine.

My brain had been reeling... sputtering... searching for anything. Deep down I had known the whole time that the midwife was probably blowing everything way out of the water. But once the probability of losing Kotoko had been presented to me... it had been all I was able to properly think about for the past two days.

Kotoko crashed into me and started sobbing violently. I had been made used to her tears again and again, but this was different.

Again, I was in awe of her strength. The possible complications had crushed her unlike I'd ever known. And although it couldn't have been more obvious, she had still put up a front so everyone would believe she was fine. And she was the one carrying a child. Imagining the pain she must have felt... how scared she must have been... It killed me.

But the tears that were soaking through my chest pocket were tears of joy. Momentarily I forgot everything but the waves of relief coursing through my body. I felt light.

"I'm so glad..." She cried. The broken relief in her voice was almost enough to make me collapse with her in my arms.

I pulled her closer to me, trying to comfort her. When I breathed in I could smell the strawberry shampoo in her hair.

"...I'm so glad Irie-kun!"

The way she called out my name somehow made me feel responsible for her pain.

It was a horrible feeling.

I could have spared her from all this fear... had I not told her and instead spoke with Nishigaki earlier...

It seemed like for once, I had been the careless one.

Gently, I grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her away from me. Her huge brown eyes, glassy with tears... one glimpse into their familiarly sweet depths and I couldn't think of anything else but her.

I pressed my lips to hers, immediately feeling myself getting lost in the sensation. Her soft lips... her small hands resting on my back... the warmth radiating from her cheeks...

All the little facets of her, the little things that life had reminded me that I was possible of losing forever... that could simply disappear if something were ever to happen to her... They were the parts of Kotoko that I loved so much, yet I'd only just been forced to realize how I'd taken them for granted on almost a daily basis.

Slowly, I pulled away and rested my forehead on hers. As she bit her lip I lightly nuzzled her nose with mine. It made her smile, but tears still streamed freely down her face, blazing angry red marks on her already flushed cheeks.

I'm not sure how long I stood there with Kotoko in my arms. Time ceased to matter to me. Only until her frantic hiccups finally came to an end did I feel at ease enough to let her go.

For the rest of the day my coat had a huge, obvious wet patch on it, just over my breast pocket. A reminder that everything was truly going to be fine.

To my surprise not one person had noticed it. It seemed no one was aware of it but me.

* * *

KOTOKO'S POV

For the rest of the day I powered through my work. My head was throbbing like someone had split my skull open... and at the same time my nose and eyes were totally raw from crying.

But the way I felt physically was no match for the happiness I felt inside. My heart wouldn't stop fluttering against my chest, and my stomach was simply bubbling with excitement. Lightness tingled through my fingertips all the way to my toes... Every step I took was like walking on clouds.

Despite how sore I felt, these new feelings gave me the energy to give shots, replace bandages, and help patients with no problems at all. Throughout the day I was extremely thankful. If I wasn't more excited about being pregnant than ever, then I would've probably collapsed in the hallway hours ago.

Every so often, when nobody was looking my way, I would lightly graze my stomach with my hand. Feeling my belly to be just a little more swollen than normal was just such a thrill... It was impossible to put into words. Each and every time, it brought the biggest smile to my face.

As my lunch break came closer and closer, I was _really_ starting to regret not eating breakfast... The mouthwatering food that Okaa-san and Dad had made earlier kept flashing in my mind, taunting me. Oh, why did I refuse it so stupidly? That wave of nausea could not have come at a worse time...!

My stomach felt like an empty chasm... and it had to be filled. Now.

 _'I don't think hunger has never felt this extreme before... this is a whole new level!'_

Halfway up the stairwell to the cafeteria I had to stop and lean against the railing. I threw my head back and blew a burst of air through my lips like a fish to try to distract myself from the starving black hole that was my stomach. It was gnawing at me from the inside...

 _'It's just one last, sweet elderly woman... you can make it, Kotoko!'_

I was so close... yet so far. Nearly tripping over my shoes at least three times, I sped to the room number written on my clipboard's schedule.

"Have a nice nap, Kuramoto Obaa-san?" I called out as cheerily as possible, gently sliding the room's door behind me. When I whipped around, the sight I met promptly stopped me mid-spin.

The cute little old woman was fast asleep. Her snoring? Not quite as cute... I couldn't believe I'd missed it when I'd first come in!

"Hoh! She's still asleep!" I exclaimed to myself under my breath.

 _'Yes! Arigato gozaimasu, Kuramoto Obaa-san!'_

Little did she know, she had just bought me a faster pass to lunch... and prevented me from dying of starvation.

With the most speed I could muster on my tip toes I gingerly lifted her head, changed her pillowcase, and threw the door open to fling myself out into the hallway.

After what seemed like a lifetime of sprinting I finally made it to the cafeteria. The sight of food for sale could not have been more beautiful.

 _'Heaven!'_ I wanted to shout as joined the flow of the lunch line. My line of sight lingered on each and every sweet and piece of cake... the salads and sandwiches might as well have not existed.

 _'Euphoria! Salvation!'_

While my stomach grumbled wildly I wasted no time in shoving four different slices of cake onto my tray. Saliva pooled in my mouth as I punched in my pin number to pay.

' _The wait is over, little guy!'_ I knew the baby obviously couldn't read my thoughts... but still, it was fun to pretend we could telepathically communicate. Like a little secret, just between the two of us.

 _'Just look at this! Chocolate... strawberry... I know we're both going to love it!'_

With my mouthwatering tray in hand I turned on my heels, unable to suppress my tiny squeal of pure joy. It was cut short, however, when I suddenly felt myself step on someone's shoe.

"Gomen!" I shouted without thinking. Out of surprise I looked to the person in front of me. My nerves were put at ease once I could make out who was wearing the shoe... Moto-chan.

I grinned up at him. "Ah, Moto-chan! Gomen, I didn't-"

"You're late." He said suddenly, crossing his arms. With his eyes narrowed he peered down at me from under his perfect eyeliner.

If looks could kill.

"Heh?" I squeaked. Late? But our lunch break was always around this time of day..?

He sighed dramatically and looked away, flipping his curled hair over his shoulder. A pang of guilt hit me in the stomach. Could it have been that everyone was putting off eating lunch for me?

"Honestly, I'm used to it by now," he said finally with a small smile. "Come on, Kotoko-chan. Everyone's waiting in the coffee room."

With that he turned and started towards the cafeteria exit, confidently striding as always. Quickly, I caught up to him, relieved that he wasn't upset with having to wait. I mentally hit myself. For my friends' sake, I really had to get better with being on time... I guess I hadn't realized that I had worked through the start of our lunch hour. And friends aside, I would have to start setting a good example soon... What would my kid think of a mother who was always late?! No, that was the opposite of admirable!

"In the future, though, I'd prefer to not have to wait to eat my daily parfait," Moto-chan said cooly. I couldn't tell if he was serious, or just teasing me. "It's rude to keep a lady waiting, Kotoko-chan."

Instantly I could feel a hot, telltale blush creep into my cheeks. _'Enough, already! It's not my fault if being pregnant has my thoughts all hopelessly tied in knots...'_

Instead of responding, I heaved out a sigh and tightened my grip on my tray.

"I know, you're right..." I groaned reluctantly. He wasn't wrong.

* * *

KOTOKO'S POV

The excited chatter and laughter of my friends was infectious. Enjoying this relaxing moment with them was just what I needed to distract me from all of my discouraging aches and pains. And besides that, I loved seeing them in such a good mood.

I was so content, now stuffed with cake and leaning back in my chair. The sun streaming in through the windows of the break room felt like warm water on my face, sending oddly pleasant goosebumps down my back. It felt _sooo_ good! I couldn't help but sigh happily and nearly take a nap right then and there.

Eventually, Funatsu-san creeped up behind me. Goosebumps made their way up my arm as his coat brushed against my side. When I shot Marina-chan a look, though, she didn't seem bothered that he was there. She actually seemed... happy to see him. Although I was unsure if I had imagined it, I tried to relax little and greeted him.

Marina-chan and Moto-chan continued their argument about which brand of nail polish lasted the longest while Funatsu-san looked on intently. As I watched my friends, I excitedly touched my stomach for what was probably the twentieth time today. I kept my hand hidden just under the table, so nobody would see.

Suddenly, I realized something.

This was the perfect time, wasn't it? With everyone here, even Funatsu-san... what better opportunity would there to spill the exciting news? As I turned the thought over in my head, my heart began to pound beyond my control.

 _'What is everyone going to think?'_ I imagined everyone's jaws dropping, their faces in disbelief and screams of excitement. _'They're going to be so happy!'_

As the excitement built up inside me, I felt like I was going to explode. My palm, which I had discreetly resting on my belly, tingled with sweat. I couldn't keep it to myself for one more minute.

"Everyone!" I yelled above Marina-chan and Moto-chan. Quickly, I straightened up in my seat and lifted my chin a little, so I would look more serious. When the nail polish jibber-jabber wouldn't stop, I pouted angrily and shut my eyes tightly.

Funatsu-san was the only one who'd heard me. "Guys, Kotoko's trying to-"

"EVERYONE!" I shouted.

Immediately, my friends fell silent. I silently thanked the heavens that I'd managed to grab their attention. With all eyes on me, I struggled to find my voice.

"I..." I started.

 _'Deep breaths.'_

"I have some really, really amazing news!" I managed. Nobody responded. Instead, everyone leaned in to me with their brows furrowed, waiting.

Silence. Deep breath in, huge, wheezing breath out. Time for you to cut to the chase, Kotoko.

'I'm pregnant!"

For a beat, everyone remained silent. Then, my friends erupted into a chorus of squeals and gasps. Moto-chan shot up in his seat and screeched so loudly that I could hear it echoing out into the hallway. I could feel the tips of my ears glow hotly and I tried desperately to shush him.

"Omedetou!" He said, bringing his hands up to his mouth in disbelief. I couldn't help but do the same as I tried to hide the smile that had bubbled to the surface. Marina-chan and Tomoko-chan couldn't have looked any happier. I could feel Funatsu-san's gaze burning into me, and see his mouth unhinge out of the corner of my eye.

"Yeah, omedetou Kotoko-chan!" Tomoko-chan sang.

"Hey, you better take good care of yourself!" Marina-chan chimed in.

Now, they were all in on my wonderful secret. It felt so freeing to finally share it with my friends, the people who I thought of as my second family. Their excitement was so infectious... I suddenly felt like telling everyone in the hospital. I itched to run into the street and shouting it to the world. Seconds ago, I was willing to admit to myself that I was worried of what others would think... but now, I wanted everyone to know!

"Arigato, everyone!"

Despite how exhausted I felt... this day was panning out to be simply amazing. Everyone's fit of giddiness was proof.

When lunch break finally ended, the only string of relief I had to hold on to for the rest of the day was going home with Irie-kun. Although I usually looked forward to our walk together, today the wait was almost unbearable... oh, how I wanted to tell him everything!

* * *

NAOKI'S POV

Ever since this morning, I felt my suddenly heightened awareness of Kotoko like a bothersome scab. All through the work day I couldn't stop my brain from picking at it, and in the process hindering my train of thought (what felt like) every ten minutes.

What was she doing? Was she holding up alright, despite how nearly brain-dead she had been this morning? Was she being careful? I knew better than to waste time mulling over the answer to that one. Of course she wasn't. The abrupt thought ironically got a chuckle out of me. To my joy, Funatsu and Okasawa both looked up from their papers, seizing the opportunity to stare at me like a circus attraction.

When I felt a brick form in the pit of my stomach, I knew it wasn't their ape-like expressions. Although Kotoko's famous clumsiness was always enough to squeeze a laugh out of me, I was quick to realize the actual seriousness of it. Soon, visions of Kotoko falling down stairs, tripping over feet or hitting her hip on the corner of a counter which probably should've made me grin were making me feel slightly sick.

It bothered me how much I was thinking of her, how badly I wanted to 'accidentally' catch a glimpse of her in the hallway bruise free. Yet at the same time, if I tried to divert myself from worrying about it, it only stressed me out more. Thinking of Kotoko was an awful distraction, _and_ my comfort.

My uncooperative thoughts weren't enough to make the day go by any slower, thankfully. After seeing my last scheduled patient and working on my most recent dissertation, the day had finally come to an end. Thank God neither Kotoko or I had to stay for night duty.

"Irie-kun!" A familair sing-song voice called out from the doorway. I swung myself around. Sure enough, there she was, the harsh overhead lights no match for her relentless smile.

"Ah, Kotoko."

"Ready to go?" She sang, rocking back and forth on her heels. I tried to repress a grin at the sight.

"Ah." I turned back to the computer. "I just need to close this up. Can you wait?"

Just when I thought it was impossible, she smiled even harder. "Sure!"

Relief washed over me to see her in such a cheerful mood. I could feel myself nearly getting drunk off of the feeling.

At least one of us had a good day.

* * *

NAOKI'S POV

Kotoko had wasted no time in narrating her day in excruciating detail from the moment we stepped out of the hospital. Both of her arms were wrapped tightly around my own as we walked through our familiar part of Tokyo.

Although I'd never admit it to her, I had no complaints. Her warm, tiny hands pulling my coat taut against my arm was a welcome change from this morning, even if it was definitely cutting off my blood circulation. A reassurance, even, that if she tripped at least she'd have something to hold onto.

As we passed onto the walkway over the side of the bridge, not even the sound of cars and horns rushing by was noticed by Kotoko, let alone able to stop her. Neither was I, for that matter. I silently listened on, suppressing any sarcastic comments that might interrupt her despite myself. After having been painfully deprived of her all day, listening to her talk so fast she could hardly breathe was actually entertaining.

"...and Keita even tried to piggy-back me to Wakai-san's room! Sure, it was a _really_ nice gesture, but he practically begged me to do it in front of that whole group of senior nurses. On his knees! You should've seen the way they sniggered at me, oh my God was my blood boiling. I know how passionate he can be, but I thought I was going to die of embarrassment right there on the spot, Irie-kun."

For the first time on our walk home, she stopped. Silent. Traffic whizzed past the walkway while I wondered what she was thinking about.

Suddenly, somebody slapped me harshly on the back. Before I could look behind me, Keita Kamogari ran straight in front of me with a dumb grin on his lips. With Kotoko's story having just ended his timing couldn't have been any more impeccable.

"Omedetou, Irie." He said, struggling to catch his breath as he walked backwards. The phrase had altogether lost the ability to excite me after hearing it possibly two hundred times since my lunch break. But hearing it from Kamogari was oddly satisfying. "Take care of your wife, or you know what will happen." Still, that stupid smirk didn't leave his face.

"Don't look so serious! I'm kidding." He smiled even wider, then looked at Kotoko. Without warning, he brought his hand up into a salute-like gesture. "Well, I'm off."

And with that, he took off running. God knows why he felt the need to, unless he was late for something. In that moment I realized how long it had been since I'd last talked to Kamogari, much less seen him around. I couldn't help but admire him somewhat. Instead of being bitter over his loss, he seemed genuinely happy for Kotoko's gain.

I watched as Kotoko beamed giddily up at me, still saying nothing. This time I let myself smile back. The biting wind made it seem as if my cheeks would crack, but I didn't care.

Kotoko's hand slowly slid down my arm to find my hand. A shiver crawled up my spine as her warm, tiny fingers clumsily interlocked with my own. I shoved both our hands in my coat pocket to keep us warm.

The rest of the way home neither of us said a word. But it wasn't hard to guess what we were both thinking about.

* * *

KOTOKO'S POV

After such an eventful day, I was absolutely exhausted. Drained, like a deflated balloon. I shivered all over with pleasure when I finally crawled into my favorite, most comfortable pair of pajamas.

While Irie-kun was still in the family room, finishing 'one last chapter' of his book, I found ways to entertain myself while I waited. However, flopping onto the bed and rubbing my stomach soothingly wasn't enough to satisfy the one, curious thought that started as a flame but quickly spread into a wildfire in my mind. I had to take a look for myself or I would, without a doubt, go crazy.

After hopping up onto my feet I made my way to the tall mirror in the corner of our bedroom. Once I could finally see my entire body's reflection, I brought my hands up to my shirt. For a second I hesitated. Would this be weird? I knew without a doubt it would be too early to tell a difference, but every time I'd grazed over my stomach today it just hadn't felt quite right.

Shooting one last backward glance towards the door and finding it still closed, void of Irie-kun, eased my nerves.

 _'No one is watching, anyway.'_

In one swfit motion I bit my lip and slowly rolled my pajama shirt up, holding the bunched up fabric just underneath my chest.

I teetered to the side and looked at my bare stomach. Flat as a piece of paper. Not realizing I had been holding my breath, I couldn't hold back my disappointed sigh.

Suddenly, I had an idea. With a huge gulp of fresh air and all of the strength I could muster despite how tired I was, I pushed my gut out to make it look rounder. The sight of my stomach pushed out so far was so ridiculous that I couldn't help but giggle at myself.

After a few minutes of staring at my reflection, stomach pushed out, I could feel myself growing bored again. After making one last funny face in the mirror, (I couldn't help myself!) I finally pulled my pajama top back down over my now normal middle.

There, curiosity satisfied.

But as I turned around and spotted my little Irie-kun on the bed, and a new idea formed in my head, I threw that statement out the window.

* * *

NAOKI'S POV

When I finally closed my book shut and had made my way to our bedroom, I was rooted to the floor of the doorway at the unexpected sight.

Instead of a snoring Kotoko, blubbering blissful nonsense in her sleep, finding her awake was not my only surprise. She was sitting upright on the side of our bed.

' _What is she doing?'_

Not wanting to startle her, I gingerly picked up my feet, walked around the bed and stopped at her side. Surprisingly, she didn't notice me. Her eyes were trained so determinedly on that doll of hers, nestled in her arms. She was obviously using it as a makeshift baby, rocking it in her arms.

For once, I was at a loss for what to say. At first the sight struck me as kind of weird, even for Kotoko. But another part of me was astounded by the all too familiar look of determination in Kotoko's eyes, and the teeny smile gracing her lips. Not even two months pregnant and she was already imagining her life as a mother.

I sat down next to her as slowly as possible. As the mattress groaned under my weight, she finally paused and turned to look at me with wide eyes. She looked scandalized, like I might as well of just walked in on her naked. Then, to my surprise, her expression softened a bit and she continued to rock the doll with the most love I'd ever seen given to an inanimate object.

"Irie-kun," She said softly, giving me a tired smile. I could feel myself unable to look away from her, that determined expression crossing her features once more.

After a few silent minutes, Kotoko stopped everything she was doing. Her hand fluttered to her stomach, her now downward turned gaze swimming with concern, nerves, and disbelief. Without thinking, I placed my hand over her own, taking a moment to stare at her middle which was sure to get bigger as the months passed. The sheer heat radiating from her hand was almost enough to burn me, but I didn't pull away.

I felt intoxicated by the moment, her huge almond eyes stripping my focus down to nothing but her as they always did. It was a wonder she didn't know her affect on me. How she could push me over so easily like a wave to a boat and make my heart pound so quickly that it almost hurt my chest. To be honest, I loved the feeling. Though I'd probably never admit it to her.

As she searched my gaze and her fingers wiggled underneath my own, the thought of our baby was rousing a giddy excitement in me; It was unlike anything I'd ever felt before. A hopeless mixture of anticipation and anxiety brewing in the pit of my stomach.

God, I loved her.

Before I knew it, her soft lips were pressed into mine. The feeling of her smile stretching across my lips was worth all of the utter pain and dread, all of the conflict I had felt until Nishigaki assured me she would be fine.

Every second had been worth it.

* * *

NAOKI'S POV

I sighed heavily, feeling drowsiness settle deep into my bones. My eyes closed slowly. I could feel sleep slowly pulling itself over my body like a dark blanket. I shifted a little in our bed, pulling my pillow in closer to my neck.

Suddenly, in the quiet of the night, a familiar stifled giggle erupted beside me.

Finally, I spoke up. "What's with you?"

"Oh! Nothing..." She said, giggling mischievously. Even in my exhausted state, I clearly knew that it wasn't nothing.

"It's just that, we're really going to become parents... I can't believe it's finally happening..."

One would think that with two days Kotoko would have had plenty of time for the prospect to sink in... But still, even I couldn't help but feel a bit of excitement course through my body with the way she talked about it, her voice filled with awe.

"Yeah," I uttered in agreement. Even if I was really warming up to the idea, it was just too late for this kind of talk. Sleep was tugging at my eyelids like an impatient child. Hopefully, she would be satisfied and finally go to sleep.

Without fail, I was proven wrong. After another fit of giggles she piped up again.

"I'm so glad... but, it feels like a lifetime until we finally get to meet our baby. It's so far away."

Never mind the pitch black, I could practically feel her pouting beside me.

"Ne, Irie-kun," She said. Her voice was weighed down as it suddenly took on a nervous tone.

I imagined her biting her lip in the dark; That little nervous habit of hers that had etched its mark onto my heart forever.

"Mmmm?" I asked gently.

Silence.

"Are you... happy?"

Her voice, suddenly so small... Full of doubt. It made me wonder. Had I ever given her a reason to think otherwise?

I didn't have to think twice to know the answer.

"Are you stupid or something?" I said sarcastically. "Of course I'm happy."

Before she could say anything else, I spoke up again.

"Now, go to sleep."

She gave a content sigh. "Haaaiiiiii..."

Finally, it was silent again. Though as I struggled to find the ceiling in the dark, I found it hard to bring myself back to sleep. Visions of a tiny, pouting Kotoko with two braids in her hair flashing in my brain weren't helping any, for that matter.

"Ne, Irie-kun?" Kotoko's voice sliced through the night silence once again, loud enough to drown out the deafening crickets outside.

I rolled so my back was facing her, and didn't even try to hold back my annoyed sigh.

"What now?"

Silence. Nothing but the drone of the crickets reached my ears as I waited in the dark. I could feel Kotoko wiggling her feet under the blanket; Another nervous habit of hers that sent a wave of warmth sweeping through my veins.

"...This is the best birthday present ever. Arigato."

And not even a few moments later, her deafening snores sounded throughout the room, competing with the crickets once again.

* * *

 **GUESS WHO'S RISEN FROM THE GRAVE.**

 **Oh. My. GOD. I CANNOT express how absolutely sorry I am for such a RIDICULOUS wait for an update! Every time I post I tell you guys not to expect another long wait, yet every time I take longer and longer to post. Please accept my (wimpy) apology!**

 **The pot at my summer job had, how should I put this, finally boiled over. With my final week of work about two weeks ago I was absolutely SWAMPED with projects that had to be finished before the end. And to boot, I had to take on the _entire_ work load of my fellow intern who left early to go back to school. (Thanks to my supervisor who deemed me worthy for such a HOLY task) What a joy. I enjoyed every second I slaved at that desk. (sarcasm)**

 **With worth finally over, I was stoked and had planned to finish the half of this chapter that I'd already had written! Or so I thought, until my mom decided to surprise me with a mini vacation.**

 **I know, I'm rambling. It's just been so long, you guys!**

 **Anywho, to sum it all up, up until this point I've hardly had any time to write. The only option I really had was to stay up past midnight, but work would leave me too exhausted to write even a grammatically correct sentence.**

 **(But hey, no job so now I'm free all day to write! *eyebrow wiggle*)**

 **That aside, I really just didn't want to stay up through all hours of the night writing with my brain half functioning just to throw a chapter out there. As you guys know, one of my goals is to write this story as good as I can for you guy, and that's just not possible if only focus was to write as much as I could at 2 AM.**

 **Again, I am really sorry for the wait. This time I can honestly assure you that it will NEVER. Take me 20 DAYS TO UPDATE in the future. _That_ you can count on.**

 **(SIDE NOTE: I know not a lot of progress has happened with the pregnancy yet, but stick with me! I promise things will start moving forward (possibly in the next chapter))**

 **I hope the wait was worth it, and I hope you all will be able to forgive me (someday).**

 **But for now, let me know what you think! Long time no see guys, and I'm anxious to hear from you again!**

 **Love you guys!**

 **-Rosie**

* * *

 **Una nota para mis lectores que hablan espa** **ñol** **-**

 **¡MUCHAS, MUCHAS GRACIAS por leyendo mi cuento!**

 **¡** **Lo siento! ~ He sido estudiando Espanol en la escuela por solamente cuatro anos. Deseo que podria escribir este cuento en espanol tambien, pero, desafortunadamente, no puedo hablar con fluidez aun. Por ahora, espero que el traductor funciona bien por ustedes! Por favor, no dejen que la barrera idiomatica te deprima.**

 **¡Uno vez mas, muchas gracias! Lo siento si este nota es dificil para leer. Obviamente, no puedo escribir con gramatica perfecta aun.** **¡Ja** **jaja! :D**


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